Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in his New Year Address made a perfect clarification of the matter of improving the inter-Korean relations and making a starting-point for peace and reunification.

The improvement of the north-south relations is the starting-point for peace and reunification and it is an urgent requirement of the whole nation.

The Koreans are a homogeneous nation that has created brilliant history and culture on the same land for five thousand years.

There are differing ideologies and social systems in the north and the south of Korea at present but they cannot be reason or conditions for them to stand in confrontation and antagonize each other.

Division is harmful to the Korean nation and the improvement of the inter-Korean relations is vital as it is related to its destiny.

The perpetuation of the country's division would only increase the pain and disaster of the compatriots and the danger of a war on the Korean Peninsula. In that case they will be unable to escape the national disaster.

This is proved by the serious consequences brought to the south Korean people last year by the total shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Park, the last symbol of the north-south cooperation, and the moves for the deployment of THAAD, etc.

Under the present situation where international order based on the jungle law prevails in the international arena and each country and nation prioritizes its own interests, if a nation goes united, it gets stronger but it is bound to go to ruin when divided. This is a reality today.

For the north and the south of Korea to remain at odds with each other and stand in confrontation is nothing but an act of going to self-destruction as it hinders the uniform development of the nation and helps outsiders fish in troubled waters.

Whoever is desirous of durable peace and prosperity common to the nation should unite close and overcome all sorts of misunderstanding, distrust and conflict and develop the north-south relations into the relationship of trust and reconciliation.

Any politician, if he or she remains a passive onlooker to the current deadlock between the two sides, can neither claim to be fully discharging his or her responsibility and role for the nation nor enjoy public support.

All compatriots want peace, reconciliation, unity and reunification, not war.

It is impossible to defuse acute military clash and danger of war unless the inter-Korean ties are mended.

Every manner of abuses and slanders aimed at offending the other party and inciting confrontation can not be justified on any account, and an immediate stop should be put to the malicious smear campaign and other acts of hostility towards the DPRK, all designed for the overthrow of its system and any other "change."

Korea will become a reunified power and there is nothing to fear and nothing impossible if the north and the south pool their will and efforts.

All the fellow countrymen in the north, the south and abroad should regard the idea of improving the inter-Korean relations, starting-point for peace and reunification and demand of the times, as a noble guideline and make this year a meaningful year of a new phase in independent reunification.