Pak expressed hope that the ASEAN would make greater contributions to peace and development of Asia and the rest of the world in the future as influential forces standing for peace and development.

The volatile situation prevailing on the Korean Peninsula that has reached a war phase has not only put the sovereignty of the DPRK and the security of its people at peril but seriously hindered the building of an economic power, he said.

Peace has been preserved on the Korean Peninsula so far and this would have been unthinkable without the deep care and positive efforts exerted by the ASEAN, he noted, and went on:

The government of the DPRK would make efforts to conclude a peace treaty and realize denuclearization through the six-party talks on an equal footing for the present.

We regard it as a correct orientation to make efforts to resume the six-party talks on an equal footing, conclude a peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearize it as it is in line with the ideal of ASEAN and the purport of the ARF for defending peace and security of Asia.

We are convinced that member states of the ARF would support and encourage the earlier resumption of the six-party talks with correct understanding of the DPRK's endeavors to settle the fundamental issue of a war or peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The government of the DPRK will further strengthen and develop the friendly and cooperative relations with the regional countries in the avowed idea of its foreign policy for independence, peace and friendship in the future, too and do its utmost to defend peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and the region.