Rodong Sinmun Friday says this in a signed article.

To definitely turn the present north-south relations of distrust and confrontation into the relationship of trust and reconciliation is the best way for preventing the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula and realizing the national independent reunification by the concerted efforts of the entire nation, it says, and goes on:

What is important in opening up the road for improvement of the north-south relations is to thoroughly convert these relations into the relationship based on the idea of "By our nation itself".

The north-south relations, the relationship between the fellow countrymen, should be reunification-oriented relations to realize the re-connection of territory and reunion of the nation artificially divided by foreign forces.

"By our nation itself" is not a specified slogan of somebody but an idea common to the nation for the improvement of the north-south relations and the national reunification, agreed upon and announced to the world by the north and the south of Korea.

Denial of this idea is just opposition to the improvement of inter-Korean relations and the national reunification.

Such behaviors as drawing foreign forces into the issue of inter-Korean relations and setting the nuclear issue as the precondition for development of these relations should never be tolerated as they are, in essence, intended to push the relations to irrevocable catastrophic crisis.

In order to open up the road for improved inter-Korean relations, it is necessary to respect the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, great programmes for independent reunification of the nation, and honestly implement them.

It is preposterous to talk about "dialogue" and "cooperation" while denying the inter-Korean declarations.

The south Korean authorities would be well advised to stop the acts of escalating confrontation and tension and come out to the road for the north-south dialogue and the improvement of their relations, respecting the said declarations.

The destiny of the cause of independent reunification depends on opening up the road for improved north-south relations.