The symbolism in the formal pageantry of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un walking down grand steps, flanked by his aides and security staff, towards the South Korean president Moon Jae-In couldn’t be missed, being such a key moment in the politics of an incredibly volatile zone. This was particularly so when he walked across the border - the first time for any North Korean President - and shook Moon’s hand (see here for a news item on this).
It was apt that the day’s peace talks following this meeting took place during the day when Moon was moving through harmony-loving Libra (she moved into Libra less than ¾ hour after the border-crossing handshake), but its very interesting that, at this time, she was still in the last remaining moments of ever-pragmatic Virgo - and particularly so as she is the ruler of the chart of this historic and significant event (Cancer rises). See below for the map.
Tradition has it that such a ‘Void of Course’ Moon (making no more aspects with other planets before she leaves the sign) is ineffectual, lacking the energy or commitment or capacity to see something through ( Moreover, she is pretty much out of aspect with her previous aspect, the trine to Pluto and Mars (virtually simultaneously). However, by the theory of moieties she is within orb (10º) of this trine.). Surely this doesn’t bode well for what will come out of this whole interaction and its consequent Declaration for Peace, as wonderful as it sounds.
Whilst, with Moon as ruler of the whole map, one might see this as a description of the entire situation - a gesture that, though motivated by high ideals, even romantic dreams to dissolve enmity and hard borders (Neptune on the Midheaven), may never be able to come to anything - it is also instructive to locate the different players in this chart, and get a sense of what they are doing and where they are going.
I would have to see this late Virgo Moon as the South Korean President, as he hosted the summit in a South Korean border town: Moon is in the 4th house of home; there he is at home. His name, Moon Jae-In is a playful but not insignificant nod to this reasoning! He is shown as hard-working, precise and flexible, but right on the verge of a significant change in style (from concern about territory - earth - to ideals and justice - air - perhaps?).
This places Kim Jong Un as Saturn, ruler of the 7th house of The Other (the partner, but also the open enemy). See what strength he is shown in here - Saturn dignified in Capricorn (and the chart’s strongest planet), and angular in his own house: comfortable and secure, authoritative and conservative. Also in this, Kim Jong Un’s, house you find the domineering combination of Mars-Pluto, capable of institutionalised violence and oppression - how appropriate! That Kim Jong Un (Saturn) is retrograde is, I believe, of significance and even some hope. This suggests he is hindered in some way, reviewing, looking back, returning, and, hopefully, making more responsive and responsible decisions. It also shows that, whilst the border of the sign change stands between their albeit edgy (the square) union (symbolic in itself as perhaps representing the gulf of ideological and political differences), they are, indeed, moving towards each other.
Once Moon (Moon Jae-In) crosses the sign border into diplomatic Libra he gathers negotiating grace from a facilitative trine to peace-talking Venus before moving on to squaring it off with his rival, Saturn, in an uncomfortable encounter. With almost 10º separating Moon from the square to Saturn we might expect some hopefully creative confrontation to arise in 9-10 weeks, that is roughly the beginning of July. Beyond that, Moon moves on to square the close Mars-Pluto conjunction. As disciplined as this relentless forceful energy might be, Moon Jae-In and South Korea could be severely tested by a show of this force.
Speculating on the applying trine between Sun and Saturn (Kim Jong Un), I wonder whether it hints at the mediating strengths of a gently determined neighbouring state (Sun rules the 3rd house of neighbours), or the United Nations (11th house) - but not Donal Trump!
With Saturn being the ‘final dispositor’ in this figure (planetary dispositorships all head back to Saturn in Capricorn) this moment is all about Kim Jong Un. And perhaps so it should be, considering this event represents such a phenomenal break of over 60 years of absolute animosity towards and from the West. But, given the strength of Saturn, I would be very surprised if we see in this most difficult of international relationships the changes we are currently being lead to believe that this event indicates.