Present at the inaugural ceremony were officials of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) and the industrial unions and trade union officials in Pyongyang and local areas.

The speakers expressed conviction that the football match to be held in Seoul, south Korea on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of Korea's liberation would offer an important occasion in defusing the inter-Korean confrontation, realizing the Koreans' aspiration for the improved inter-Korean relations and achieving national reconciliation and unity.

They declared that they would bring the football match to success without fail no matter what difficulties and trials may lie before them.

The north side committee was inaugurated at the ceremony with Ju Yong Gil, chairman of the C.C., GFTUK as chairman, according to the agreement on forming the joint committee for promoting the football match with the trade unions in south Korea. The north side committee comprised members of the C.C., GFTUK and industrial trade unions and officials concerned.

A declaration on forming the joint committee for promoting the football match was made public.

The three workers organizations from the north and the south will turn out once again in the practical struggle for protecting the June 15 joint declaration and achieving the national reconciliation and peace, the declaration said, and went on:

First, we will bring to success the football match between workers from the north and the south for national reunification without fail in Seoul on the occasion of Aug. 15 (liberation day of Korea), this year

Convinced that the determination and practice of the three workers organizations from the north and the south will offer an important occasion in improving the daily aggravated relations between the north and the south and achieving the national reconciliation and peace, we urge the south side authorities to make sincere efforts to make the football match successful.

Second, we will make positive efforts to defuse the daily increasing danger of a war and realize durable peace on this land.

War means the ruin of the nation and the workers will be the primary victims of the war.

Peace represents the co-existence and co-prosperity of the nation and peaceful living environment is most fundamental to the life of the workers.

That is why all the Korean workers in the north and the south oppose war and aspire after peace.

Third, we will positively pursue cooperation in consolidating All-Korean Committee for Implementation of June 15 Joint Declaration and achieving the unity of all Koreans in the north and the south and abroad.

The situation still remains tense and we are faced with many difficulties.

However, we workers remain unchanged in our determination to take the lead in the efforts to implement the June 15 joint declaration.

The promise of the workers in the north and the south to meet in Seoul again on August 15 will be kept without fail.

At the end of the inaugural ceremony the north side committee discussed the technical issues concerning the arrangement for the football match.