It continues:

It is required by the times to turn the inter-Korean ties of distrust and confrontation into those of trust and reconciliation.

The confrontation between the north and the south of Korea is a product of the policy of aggression pursued by foreign forces.

The history of the Korean nation's division tells a bitter lesson that such escalated inter-Korean confrontation brings the nation nothing but continued partition and horrible war disaster.

The DPRK has called for ending the tragedy of national division and achieving the north-south reconciliation and cooperation and has made every possible effort to do so.

The improved inter-Korean relations are a prerequisite to ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula and achieving uniform development and common prosperity of the nation.

What is urgent for improving these relations is to conduct brisk multi-faceted dialogue, contact, exchange and cooperation between the north and the south of Korea.

There should be visits, contacts, dialogues and cooperation among Koreans of all social standings in the north and the south and overseas along with authorities-level dialogue.

Only when the people from all walks of life, the driving force for national reunification movement, take an active part in the work to achieve the unity and reunification of the nation and pool their efforts, wisdom and energy, can the inter-Korean ties turn more dynamic and properly develop in line with the will and desire of all Koreans.

It is the only way of saving the inter-Korean ties from a collapse to respect and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, a programme for implementing it.

Both declarations serve as reunification programmes common to the nation which all Koreans should thoroughly uphold and implement.

These declarations comprehensively deal with principles and ways to solve the issues concerning national reunification independently by concerted efforts of the Koreans.

The Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the DPRK will as ever make sustained patient efforts to warm the relations with south Korea and achieve the historic cause of national reunification by concerted efforts of the Korean nation.