JOINT NEW YEAR EDITORIAL ISSUED

Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) – Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi Friday published a joint editorial titled “Bring about a radical turn in the people’s standard of living by accelerating the development of light industry and agriculture once again this year that marks the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea” on the occasion of the New Year.

Following is the parts of the Editorial on national reunification and foreign policy.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
The North-South Summit and the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration in 2000 were a historic event that is of great significance of accomplishing the cause of national reunification.
Under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, a new era of independent reunification has been opened, and great, unprecedented successes were achieved in the development of inter-Korean relations and the national reunification movement.
The previous ten years since the publication of the June 15 joint declaration followed by the publication of the October 4 declaration for its implementation, during which the Korean nation has advanced along the road for independent reunification and peace and prosperity, has clearly confirmed that these declarations are the most reasonable reunification programme and the ideal of “By our nation itself” is the very national spirit and the one and only ideal in the June 15 reunification era. Last year, we took active and bold measures and made sincere efforts in order to improve the aggravated inter-Korean relations and bring a radical phase in national reunification.
Our measures evoked great support and sympathy at home and abroad and created an atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation between the North and the South.
The schemes of the separatist forces to thwart the advance of the era of June 15 reunification are vicious, but they cannot break the desire and will of the fellow countrymen to achieve independent reunification and national prosperity by implementing the North-South joint declarations, and it is inevitable that the pro-reunification, patriotic forces will prevail over the separatist forces and emerge victorious.
This year we should hold high the slogan “Let the entire nation unite under the banner of North-South joint declarations and achieve national reunification at the earliest date!”
The way for improving the North-South relations should be opened.
Unshakable is our stand that we will improve the North-South relations and open the way for national reunification on the basis of the historic June 15 declaration and October 4 declaration.
Is the South Korea authorities continue to negate the June 15 joint declaration and cling to the policy of confirmation in collusion with the foreign forces, the relations between the North and the South will never be improved.
They should refrain from committing acts that may aggravate the confrontation and tension, and take the road of respecting the inter-Korean declarations, promoting North-South dialogue and improving the relations between both sides.
National reconciliation and cooperation should be promoted actively. Reconciliation should be promoted with the common national interest given precedence, and cooperation should be encouraged through travel and contacts between the people from all walks of life.
All sorts of legal and institutional mechanisms that hinder the projects for common interests and prosperity of the nation should be available and free discussion and activities of the broad sections of the people for reunification should be fully ensured.
The unity of the entire nation constitutes a decisive guarantee for the country’s reunification.
All the fellow countrymen in the North and the South and abroad should strengthen solidarity and collaboration to develop the national reunification movement.
They should build up the atmosphere of independent national reunification, reconciliation, cooperation and unity on a nationwide scale to greet the 10th anniversary of the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and the 30th anniversary of the proposal for the founding of the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo.
The entire Korean nation should crown the year 2010 as a year of opening a new phase of independent reunification by frustrating all challenges of the anti-reunification forces with their concerted efforts and stepping up the grand nationwide march toward reunification.
The fundamental task for ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of Asia is to put an end to the hostile relationship between the DPRK and USA.
It is the consistent stand of the DPRK to establish a lasting peace system on the Korean Peninsula and make it nuclear-free through dialogue and negotiations.
Our party and the government of our Republic will strive to develop relations of good-neighbourliness and friendship with other countries and achieve global independence under the unfurled banner of independence, peace and friendship.