The first anniversary of the Panmunjom summit last April was exceptionally gloomy, and we’re set for an equally depressing first anniversary of the Pyongyang summit on Thursday.

South Korea in April hosted a ceremony in Panmunjom, though the North Korean side didn’t participate. This time, the South has opted to hold a small event in Seoul — a recent outbreak of swine flu means an event on the inter-Korean border is off the cards.

There have been more than a dozen significant cases that reflect the sharp decline in relations between the North and South this year, especially considering the