The Korean nation's reunification movement had made long strides despite the vicious moves of separatists at home and abroad last year, the article notes.

It goes on to say:

For the Korean nation to achieve the country's reunification at present is the vital demand and urgent task in the June 15 era of reunification which brooks no further delay.

It is the unbearable tragedy that the national division has lasted until now since the middle of the 20th century.

The viewpoint on the nation and the attitude toward independent reunification are a yardstick distinguishing patriotism from treachery. Everyone should take the stand of placing the nation's interests above anything else and subordinating everything to independent reunification. Only then, is it possible to improve the deteriorated north-south relations and achieve the nation's long-cherished desire at an earlier date.

As patriotism and treachery can never go together, attaching importance to the nation and independent reunification are incompatible with dependence on foreign forces and confrontation in system. Anyone who truly stands for the improved north-south relations and the national unity and prosperity should take the road of attaching importance to the nation and achieving independent reunification, not the road of dependence and confrontation.

All Koreans at home and abroad should launch a more determined campaign to improve the inter-Korean relations and reunify the country under the slogan "Let all Koreans in the north, south and abroad join efforts and bring a new phase of independent reunification!" set forth by the joint New Year editorial.

The June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration are the banner that the Korean nation should hold fast to in vitalizing the movement for the country's reunification this year.