June 15 Joint Declaration Should Be Implemented to Repair North-South Relations

   Pyongyang, June 12 (KCNA) -- It is 17 years since the publication of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.

   On the occasion of the unforgettable day when the joint declaration was published, all Koreans are nostalgic about the precious era when the history of protracted distrust and confrontation turned into the one of reconciliation and unity, peace and reunification.

   The declaration is the foundation of national reconciliation and unity and the starting point of solving the issue of the north-south relations. Its validity and vitality as the great programme for reunification common to all Koreans were already proved in practice.

   The era of independent reunification when all Koreans pooled their efforts to settle the issue of reunification by themselves was ushered in by the declaration. This led to the adoption of the October 4 declaration, a practical programme for accelerating the fresh development of the north-south relations and promoting the prosperity common to all Koreans.

   Had the June 15 era been given steady continuity, a big stride would have been already made in the accomplishment of the cause of national reunification without turns and twists.

   But the south Korean conservative group taking pleasure in sycophancy toward big powers, dependence on outsiders and confrontation with the compatriots utterly denied the joint declaration signed by the north and the south and brought the north-south ties to collapse for the last decade in power. This is, indeed, a high treason against the nation.

   The Lee Myung Bak group, terming the June 15 era of reunification a "lost decade" and asserting "unification should never be achieved by June 15 style," unhesitatingly undermined the foundation for improving the north-south relations though it was made with much effort in the spirit of By the Korean Nation Itself.

   The regime revived the "theory of principal enemy" under the motto of "denuclearization, opening, 3 000 dollars." It disallowed regular events for reunification of various circles and reduced the inter-Korean relationship to that of distrust and confrontation.

   The Park Geun Hye regime brought the north-south relations to total collapse, raising such theories of confrontation between social systems as "trust-building process on the Korean peninsula", "Dresden declaration" and "great opportunity for unification."

   Due to a handful of traitors who betrayed the nation to seek sycophancy to the U.S., the hard-won gains common to all Koreans were destroyed and the dark clouds of a nuclear war were brought to exterminate the Korean nation.

   As history shows, everything goes well for the nation and reunification, peace and prosperity can be achieved if the June 15 declaration is preserved and implemented, but if not, the nation should sustain misfortune, pain and war disaster.

   The present regime of south Korea is following the U.S. moves to stifle the DPRK while talking about the improvement of the north-south relations. It is doing such a stupid act, oblivious of the lesson taught by history.

   Its succession to the anachronistic confrontation policy against the nation will only make it face stern punishment by the public like the conservative group.

   To implement the June 15 joint declaration is just the way for mending the north-south relations and achieving peace and prosperity.

   All Koreans in the north, the south and abroad will have to bring about a U-turn in the north-south relations by respecting and thoroughly implementing the great programmes for reunification common to the nation before doing anything else.

Received from the DPRK Embassy