Chairman
of
the
Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman
of
the
State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea
Comrades,
Last
year was a stirring year which witnessed a dramatic change unprecedented in the
history of national division spanning over 70 years.
With
a determination to usher in an era of national reconciliation, peace and
prosperity by putting an end to the abnormal state on the Korean peninsula which
had suffered a constant war crisis, we took proactive and bold measures to
effect a great turn in north-south relations from the outset of last year.
It
is unprecedented that three rounds of inter-Korean summit meetings and talks
were held in a year amid great expectations and interest of peoples at home and
abroad, and this clearly showed that north-south relations entered a completely
new stage.
The
Panmunjom Declaration, the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration and the
north-south agreement in the military field, which were adopted by reflecting
the firm resolve and will to usher in an era of peace in which war exists no
longer on the Korean peninsula, are of great significance as a virtual
nonaggression declaration in which north and south have committed themselves to
terminating fratricidal war based on force of arms.
While
sportspersons of north and south displayed the wisdom and strength of the
nation by jointly entering international competitions, artistes came and went
to Pyongyang and Seoul to fire the enthusiasm for national reconciliation and
reunification.
We
took the significant first step towards common prosperity of the nation by
promoting cooperation projects in various fields including railways, road,
forestry and public health while resolutely overcoming manifold obstacles and
difficulties.
The
surprising changes which took place in inter-Korean relations last year
convinced all the fellow countrymen that when they join minds and efforts, they
can turn the Korean peninsula into the true home of the nation, which is the
most peaceful and will prosper forever.
Though
it was the initial step, north and south pooled intentions and wisdom to surely
reverse inter-Korean relations in the utmost extremes of distrust and
confrontation to those of trust and reconciliation and make in a short time
eye-opening achievements which were unimaginable in the past. I am very
satisfied with that.
In
the New Year 2019 we should make greater strides in our efforts to boost
inter-Korean relations, achieve peace and prosperity and reunify the country on
the basis of the priceless achievements we made last year which was wonderfully
adorned with unprecedented events.
All
the nationals should hold high the slogan "Let us usher in a heyday of
peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean peninsula by thoroughly
implementing the historic north-south declarations!"
It
is our steadfast will to eradicate military hostility between north and south
and make the Korean peninsula a durable and lasting peace zone.
North
and south, as they agreed, should take practical measures proactively to remove
military hostility on the whole of the Korean peninsula, including the ground,
airspace and sea, as a follow-up to its ending in the areas of confrontation.
Given
that north and south committed themselves to advancing along the road of peace
and prosperity, we maintain that the joint military exercises with foreign
forces, which constitute the source of aggravating the situation on the Korean
peninsula, should no longer be permitted and the introduction of war equipment
including strategic assets from outside should completely be suspended.
It
is also needed to actively promote multi-party negotiations for replacing the
current ceasefire on the Korean peninsula with a peace mechanism in close
contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement so as to lay a lasting
and substantial peace-keeping foundation.
All
the fellow countrymen should unite as one, being conscious that the master of
peace on the peninsula is our nation, in order to wage a powerful struggle to
check and frustrate all the moves that wreck peace and incite military tension
on this land.
Inter-Korean
cooperation and exchanges should be expanded and developed in an all-round way
so that national reconciliation and unity can be consolidated and all the
fellow countrymen can practically benefit from improved north-south relations.
For
the present, we are willing to resume the Kaesong Industrial Park and Mt
Kumgang tourism without any precondition and in return for nothing, in
consideration of the hard conditions of businesspersons of the south side who
had advanced into the Kaesong Industrial Park and the desire of southern
compatriots who are eager to visit the nation's celebrated mountain.
When
north and south join hands firmly and rely on the united strength of the fellow
countrymen, no external sanctions and pressure, challenges and trials will be
able to hinder us in our efforts to open a broad avenue to national prosperity.
We
will never tolerate the interference and intervention of outside forces that
stand in the way of national reconciliation, unity and reunification with the
design to subordinate inter-Korean relations to their tastes and interests.
North
and south should not pass up the favourable atmosphere of today when all the
nationals' interest in and aspiration for reunification are growing
unprecedentedly, but actively try to find a peaceful reunification plan based
on nationwide agreement and direct sincere efforts to this end.
All
the fellow countrymen in north, south and abroad should further accelerate in
high spirits the nationwide advance for implementing the north-south
declarations, and thus glorify this year as a historic one when another radical
change is brought about in the development of inter-Korean relations and
implementation of the cause of national reunification.
Comrades,
Last
year, our Party and the government of our Republic exerted responsible efforts
to safeguard the peace and security of the world and expand and strengthen
friendship with different countries.
The
three rounds of our visit to the People's Republic of China and the Cuban
delegation's visit to our country were remarkable events in boosting strategic
communication and traditional ties of friendship and cooperation among the
socialist countries.
Last
year, frequent visits and exchanges were made on Party, state and government
levels between the DPRK and many countries of the world, with the result that
they deepened mutual understanding and confirmed the stand and will to promote
sound development of the international community.
The
historic, first-ever DPRK-US summit meeting and talks brought about a dramatic
turn in the bilateral relationship which was the most hostile on the earth and
made a great contribution to ensuring peace and security of the Korean
peninsula and the region.
It
is the invariable stand of our Party and the government of our Republic and my
firm will to establish a new bilateral relationship that meets the demand of
the new era as clarified in the June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement, build a
lasting and durable peace regime and advance towards complete denuclearization.
Accordingly,
we declared at home and abroad that we would neither make and test nuclear
weapons any longer nor use and proliferate them, and we have taken various
practical measures.
If
the US responds to our proactive, prior efforts with trustworthy measures and
corresponding practical actions, bilateral relations will develop wonderfully
at a fast pace through the process of taking more definite and epochal
measures.
We
have no intention to be obsessed with and keep up the unsavoury past
relationship between the two countries, but are ready to fix it as early as
possible and work to forge a new relationship in line with the aspirations of
the two peoples and the requirements of the developing times.
As
evidenced by the reality of north-south relations that made rapid progress last
year, nothing is impossible to a willing heart, and dialogue partners will
reach the destinations that are beneficial to each other without fail if they
put forward fair proposals on the principle of recognizing and respecting each
other by abandoning their dogged insistence broadminded and conduct
negotiations with a proper stand and the will to settle issues.
I
want to believe that our relations with the United States will bear good fruit
this year, as inter-Korean relations have greeted a great turn, by the efforts
of the two sides.
I
am of the opinion that, while meeting and holding talks beneficial to both
sides with the US president in June last year, we exchanged constructive views
and reached a consensus of understanding for a shortcut to removing each
other's apprehensions and resolving the entangled problems.
I
am ready to meet the US president again anytime, and will make efforts to
obtain without fail results which can be welcomed by the international
community.
But
if the United States does not keep the promise it made in the eyes of the
world, and out of miscalculation of our people's patience, it attempts to
unilaterally enforce something upon us and persists in imposing sanctions and
pressure against our Republic, we may be compelled to find a new way for
defending the sovereignty of the country and the supreme interests of the state
and for achieving peace and stability of the Korean peninsula.
The
stabilized situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region is never
something that has been created with ease, and the countries that are truly
desirous of peace have the common responsibility for setting great store by the
current situation. The neighbouring countries and international community have
to support our sincere stand and efforts for promoting the positive development
of the situation on the Korean peninsula and fight against all practices and
challenges that wreck peace and run counter to justice.
Our
Party and the government of our Republic will continue to bolster up unity and
cooperation with the socialist countries and develop relations with all
countries that are friendly to us under the ideals of independence, peace and
friendship.
Comrades,
We
are beginning the journey of the New Year as we brace ourselves once again with
the resolve to work devotedly for our country, our motherland, and the happier
laughter of younger generations.
What
we are convinced of once again as we proudly review the past year when we made
rapid progress while paving our way by our own efforts with belief in our own
strength in the face of harsh economic blockade and sanctions, is the truth
that our state is fully capable of dynamically advancing along the road of
development of socialism of our own style by dint of our people's great
strength and efforts, without any external assistance or any other's help.
This
year, too, we will face constant obstacles and challenges in our progress, but
no one can change our determination and will and stop our vigorous advance and
our people will successfully achieve their beautiful ideals and goals without
fail.
Let
us all work energetically and with one mind and will for the prosperity and
development of the genuine people's country, the socialist motherland.
