The notice recalled that the south side turned away its face from the DPRK's series of proposals for Red Cross talks and working contacts for solving humanitarian issues in the past, asserting that "they could not be separated from the political viewpoint".

It is contradictory and nonsensical for the south side to propose reunions under the situation where the "May 24 step" is still in force to bar all travels of persons and cooperation between the north and the south and the road to Mt. Kumgang, the venue of reunion of separated families and relatives, is blocked, the notice said.

If the south side is willing to promote their reunion, though belatedly, it should lift the "May 24 step" and open the way for south Koreans to tour Mt. Kumgang so that conditions may be created for satisfactorily ensuring the reunion, to begin with. The notice urged the south side to clarify its stand on this matter.