Rodong Sinmun says this in an article Friday.

Seeking confrontation while escalating confrontation with compatriots is a treacherous crime disturbing reconciliation and unity of the nation, pushing the inter-Korean relations to a catastrophe and barring national reunification, the article notes, and goes on:

The differing ideologies and social systems exist in the north and the south due to the national division but they are not the cause of distrust and confrontation between fellow countrymen. Distrust will grow deeper, confrontation will be escalated and national reconciliation and unity will never be achieved if one antagonizes fellow countrymen while resorting to one's own ism narrow-mindedly, indifferent to great common interests for national reunification.

National reunification is not for the interests of one side but for those of all Koreans and for the nation's uniform development and co-prosperity.

It is a tragedy that human and material resources have drained in vain and uniform development of the nation delayed due to the division of the country. Distrust and confrontation between the north and the south will bring nothing.

Persistent inter-Korean confrontation makes it impossible to achieve peace of the country and remove the danger of a nuclear war.

In order to defuse confrontation between the north and south and mend inter-Korean relations it is important to respect and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration. It is quite illogical to talk about the improved inter-Korean relations without implementing the two declarations. When the declarations are respected and sincerely implemented, the inter-Korean relations will be mended and peace and reunification of the country be achieved.