The editorial recalled that representatives of the South, North and Overseas Sides Committees for Implementing June 15 Joint Declaration held a meeting in Shenyang, China early in May at which they agreed to jointly promote the south-north joint events to mark the 15th anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Korea.

However, the barrier called "May 24 step" blocks the joint national events, the editorial held, adding: The Park Geun Hye regime insisted on the "story about the sinking of warship Cheonan by the north" and pushed for the north's "recognition" and "apology" as preconditions.

Park Geun Hye promised a drastic switchover in the "policy towards the north" but she has maintained a tougher attitude, driving the south-north relations into a catastrophe.

What is more serious is that the present regime and the "Saenuri Party" claimed that it is impossible to lift the "May 24 step" under the present situation. This was a reckless behavior self-revealing that the Park Geun Hye regime is a country-selling and anti-reunification one.

The Park Geun Hye regime should lift the "May 24 step" at once and immediately allow the joint national events agreed upon by NGOs.