KCNA had an interview with officials of the committee who participated in the meeting.

Question: I think the appeal reflects the invariable desire of all the Koreans to achieve the reunification of Korea in an independent and peaceful way and in the principle of great national unity.

Yun Tok Su: That's right. Korea was divided into two parts by foreign forces and the Koreans have suffered from more than five decades of the division.

The truth the Koreans acquired in the history of the struggle for national reunification is that national independence is vital to defending the fellow countrymen and making Korea prosperous.

Firm is the will of the Koreans to solve the issue of the country's reunification independently by themselves.

Pak Song Il: What the Koreans are ardently longing for is national reunification. But the bellicose forces at home and abroad are driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war in disregard of the desire of the Koreans to live harmoniously in a peaceful reunified country.

The present situation clearly shows who the main obstacle to ensuring peace on the peninsula is.

All the Koreans in the north, the south and abroad will invigorate the nationwide struggle to drive the U.S. imperialist forces out of south Korea and resolutely punish the present south Korean puppet regime, antagonistic to the nation and reunification, so as to realize their desire for the reunification.

Pak Yong Hui: The appeal calls for putting the interests common to the nation above anything else.

The Korean nation that has lived in the same territory with the same language and same blood is inseparable from each other.

How can the difference in ideology, ideal, political views and religious belief be put above patriotism in the effort for the reunification?

The people in the north, together with fellow countrymen in the south and abroad, will make every possible effort to achieve great unity and independent reunification of the nation.

The interviewers expressed full support to a proposal made by the north side committee to hold this year grand pro-reunification events involving Koreans in the north, the south and abroad and pro-reunification meetings of people of different social strata and organizations in the north and the south to mark the 12th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration and the 5th anniversary of the October 4 declaration.