The three principles for national reunification and declarations constitute the great reunification programme common to the nation.

In the past the north and the south of Korea discussed the principled matters for national reunification on several occasions and adopted a series of admirable agreements.

All the matters arising in achieving Korea's reunification through national reconciliation and unity are expounded in the three principles for national reunification, confirmed in the July 4, 1972, joint statement, and the June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration, adopted at the two rounds of north-south summits in 2000 and 2007.

If those agreements had been respected and strictly implemented, a big stride would have been made in the struggle to achieve the independent reunification, peace and prosperity by the united efforts of the Korean nation.

This is well evidenced by the June 15 era of reunification. After the publication of the June 15 Joint Declaration, the relationship of distrust and confrontation between the north and the south developed into that of reconciliation and unity and railways and roads, severed for more than half a century, were reconnected, with brisk economic cooperation between them.

It is the principled stand of the DPRK to improve the north-south relations and open up a new era of independent reunification by defending and implementing the said joint declarations and all other agreements.

If the south Korean authorities are sincere about improving inter-Korean relations and reunifying the country peacefully, they must not seek pointless confrontation of systems, but make it clear that they intend to respect and implement with sincerity the three principles for national reunification, June 15 Joint Declaration and October 4 Declaration, which crystallize the general will of the nation and whose validity has been proved in practice.

Kim Jong Un in the New Year address declared that the DPRK would make strenuous efforts to develop north-south talks and improve bilateral relations and that it would have an open-minded discussion on the reunification issue, one of the national issues, with anyone who is truly desirous of national reconciliation and unity, peace and reunification.