Buddhists from South and North Korea held joint religious services on Thursday at Yeongtong Temple in the North Korean city of Gaeseong.
 
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said along with North Korean Buddhists and officials, the service was attended by visiting monks and other Buddhists of South Korea’s Cheontae Order.
 
The Buddhists marked the eighth anniversary of the restoration of Yeongtong Temple and 912th anniversary of the birth of Daegak Guksa Uicheon, a Buddhist monk from the 11th century.
 
The KCNA said the Buddhists from South and North Korea declared their resolution and commitment to realize lasting peace and reunification of the two Koreas with the spirit of Buddha.
 
The temple where Daegak Guksa Uicheon lived in his last years was burnt down in a fire in the 16th century. It was restored in October 2005 by the two Koreas and Japan.
 
The two Koreas have held joint services every year to mark the restoration since 2007, except in 2008.