Rodong Sinmun Tuesday says this in a bylined article.

The issue of Korea's reunification is the one of establishing the sovereignty of the nation throughout Korea and, at the same time, a matter of rejoining the severed blood ties of the nation and achieving concord and unity between the north and the south as the same nation, the article notes, and goes on:

National reunification would be unthinkable without the unity of the nation.

The idea of "By our nation itself" reflected in the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration is the idea of national independence and that of national unity.

The Koreans from all walks of life in the north, the south and overseas had steadily advanced the June 15 era while pooling will and efforts and cooperating with each other irrespective of ideology, ism and social system. This stirring reality would be unthinkable without the idea of "By our nation itself."

Only when all compatriots regard the idea of "By our nation itself" as an effective mental weapon and go firmly united as required by it, can they foil any machination of the anti-reunification forces.

The acute confrontation between pro-reunification patriotic forces and the anti-reunification forces on the Korean Peninsula is throwing a stumbling block in the way of realizing the June 15 cause.

The Korean nation is now standing at the crossroads of peace and war and of life and death. In order to settle this grave situation all the compatriots should get united close as one in line with the north-south joint declarations and stage a dynamic nation-wide struggle to frustrate the moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad.