The south side, displeased with the working contact from its very beginning, reluctantly responded to the contact and brought to light its confrontational nature at the fourth contact, the statement noted, and went on:

The south side not only totally denied the discussion on the main agenda item, raising a spate of issues irrelevant to the revision of the contracts on the KIZ, the main subject of the contact, but far-fetchedly asserted it could not accept the just request of the north side, oft-repeating extremely wrong assertions and unreasonable sophism. The south side's rude and insincere attitude is an intolerable mockery and challenge to the sincere efforts of the north side and, at the same time, a deliberate and premeditated provocation intended to drive the working contact to breakdown and torpedo the business in the KIZ.

The inter-Korean relations have been driven into catastrophe and the military tension has reached an extreme phase but the north side made every possible effort to prevent the KIZ from being badly affected by the situation. The north side advanced constructive proposals on reexamining and renegotiating the measures for special treatment taken to suit the changed situation and present reality and arranged a special working contact even under the situation where the relations between the authorities of both sides were totally suspended.

Nevertheless, the south side behaved quite contrary to the gesture of the north side, defying its sincere efforts.

This clearly proves that the south Korean authorities do not have even an iota of intention to solve the issue of the KIZ but is only keen to lay the blame for the deplorable situation at the door of the north side and put the zone under collapse.

The north side felt disillusioned with the south side from the very beginning of the contact with the south side and was compelled to seriously reconsider the issue of whether it would continue the contact with such ungrateful and impolite counterpart or not.

Although the south side is touting the so-called "three principles", they are nothing but hypocrisy. The south side totally negated the historic June 15 joint declaration, asserting the "observance of the existing agreement," raised issues irrelevant to the working contact, talking about "politics-business separation" and working hard to bring the KIZ under collapse, advocating "increased competitiveness and future-oriented."

Now that the south Korean authorities are challenging the DPRK, defiling the latter's magnanimity and sincerity, it cannot but express apprehensions as to whether it is possible to seek a negotiated settlement of the issue through the working contact on the KIZ or not. In case the south side fails to honestly approach the working contact, the north side will go according to its decision as it has already clarified. The prospect of the working contact on the KIZ and the zone will entirely depend on the future attitude of the south side.