Jo Il Min, chief of the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front said this when interviewed by KCNA Sunday, a day before the 15th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration.

Saying leader Kim Jong Il, taking to his heart the pain suffered by all Koreans due to the national division more than any others, dedicated himself to the national reunification throughout his life, he added:

He performed a great exploit at just 55 hour-long north-south summit, the exploit which had not been made in the past 55 years of national division, with his noble intention for reunification, broad magnanimity and bold patriotic decision.

I can never forget the venerable image of Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, signing the joint declaration with his master-stroke on the historic day.

The reunification movement that had advanced, providing all Koreans with the confidence in national reunification under the banner of the north-south declaration, has faced a stumbling block.

The north-south relations that plunged into a deadlock clearly prove once again who pursues confrontation and war instead of dialogue and confrontation.

Although the anti-reunification forces in the south are desperately working, even holding in check the joint national event, they can never block the dynamic advance of all Koreans to pave a broad avenue to independent reunification under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration.