KIM JONG IL
Let Us Carry Out the Great Leader Comrade

Kim Il Sung’s Instructions for National Reunification

August 4, 1997

　

 

Our people will soon greet the 52nd anniversary of the liberation of our country, the historic event, by which the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung opened the way to a new life for our nation.

On this occasion our people look back with warm hearts upon the tireless efforts and the great achievements the respected leader made for the reunification of our country for half a century ever since the day of national liberation.

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung strongly desired and worked hard all his life for the reunification of our country.  He was unhappy more about the national sufferings caused by national division than about anything else, and took all the pains and put his heart and soul into the cause for national reunification till the last moment of his life in order to hand down a reunified country to posterity.

To reunify the country in accordance  with  the  noble  idea  of  respected  Comrade  Kim Il Sung is the revolutionary duty and moral obligation of our Party and our people. It is a sacred national task devolving upon our generation.  No matter what kind of difficulties and obstacles may stand in the way of national reunification, we must carry out the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung’s instructions for national reunification and fulfill the responsibility and duty our generation has assumed before the country and nation.

 

1 

  The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung is the sun of our nation and the lodestar of national reunification. He devoted all his life to the country and nation and made imperishable achievements in the cause of national reunification. By his preeminent ideas and leadership he pioneered the cause of national reunification, guided it victoriously, laid solid foundations to realize it, and opened the bright prospects for the reunification of the country.

The question of national reunification arose as a result of the division of the country by foreign forces at the end of the Second World War. The history of half a century since the division of the country into north and south is a history of an acute struggle between the two conflicting lines of reunification and division, patriotism and treachery, and a history of the victory of patriotic forces that aspire after national reunification.

Ever since the division of the country, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung regarded national reunification as the supreme task of our nation, consistently maintained the line of one Korea, the line of reunification, wisely led the struggle to reunify the country and strengthened and developed the reunification movement into a nationwide movement.

The line of national reunification proposed and invariable maintained by the great leader is a line of thorough national independence for the complete sovereignty and independence of the country and nation and a truly patriotic line for the development of the country to be reunified and for national prosperity.  The question of the reunification of our country is a question of putting an end to the foreign domination and intervention of south Korea, establishing national sovereignty throughout the country, linking again the blood ties of the divided nation, and realizing unity as one nation.  If our nation, which has lived as a homogeneous nation in the same land for thousands of years, remains divided by foreign forces, it will be impossible to avoid national misfortune and calamities and free itself from foreign domination and subjugation. Reunification is the only correct way to establish the complete sovereignty of the country and nation, brighten the nation’s dignity and honour, and achieve the prosperity of the country and nation.  The line of reunification enjoys unreserved support from all the Korean people because it reflects the fundamental interests and demand and unanimous wish and aspiration of our nation.

In the complex and difficult situation in which the US imperialists’ occupation of south Korea and the manoeuvres of divisive forces at home and abroad against reunification were continuing, respected Comrade Kim Il Sung maintained the line of reunification firmly and consistently and led the reunification movement on his initiative. While strengthening the northern half of Korea into a bulwark for national reunification, the great leader ensured that the people in the northern half gave active support and encouragement to the south Korean people in their patriotic struggle for independence, democracy and national reunification without forgetting them even for a moment. He thwarted the challenge and the manoeuvres of the divisive forces at home and abroad against reunification at every step and developed the reunification movement steadily. It was our leader who developed the nationwide struggle to frustrate the manoeuvres of the flunkeyist and treacherous forces to keep the country divided by convening the historic joint conference of the representatives of political parties and public organizations from north and south Korea in the grim days when “separate elections and a separate government” were being cooked up in the name of the UN in south Korea immediately after liberation; it was our leader who roused all the Korean people to the struggle to check and thwart the manoeuvres of the divisive elements for “two Korea” at a time when a sharp antagonism and struggle was going on between two lines, one for one Korea and the other for “two Koreas”, in our country; it was also our leader who opened the way to dialogue and negotiations between north and south which had been totally out of contact, ensured success in adopting the north-south joint statement and agreements and opened a new phase in the movement to reunify the country. The great leader, who had immeasurably noble love for the country and nation, passed not a day without being concerned over the question of national reunification, nor did he take a single day’s rest in peace.

Comrade Kim Il Sung worked energetically to strengthen international support for and solidarity with the movement for national reunification. Thanks to his strenuous external activities, the validity of our Party’s line of national reunification was widely known to political, public and press circles in various countries, international concern for the question of Korea’s reunification increased, and the world progressive people’s support for and solidarity with the movement for our country’s reunification grew stronger.

Thanks to the great meritorious service rendered by the  respected  leader  Comrade  Kim Il Sung who adhered to the line of national reunification and devoted all his efforts to the reunification of the country, the reunification movement continued to develop, sweeping away the obstructive moves of the divisive forces, and became an indestructible force. The ardent desire of the nation for the reunification of the country is growing higher with each passing day, and all the Koreans in the north, south and abroad have turned out for the movement to reunify the country. The development of the reunification movement into a powerful nationwide movement as we see today and its advance in the midst of worldwide interest and support and encouragement from the progressive people prove a brilliant victory of the line of reunification over the line of division.

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung set forth the three charters for national reunification which clarified the fundamental principles and methods of national reunification, and provided the guideline that must be maintained in accomplishing the cause of national reunification.

The three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity are the cornerstones for national reunification which manifested the fundamental standpoint and fundamental way of solving the problem of national reunification by the efforts of the nation and in keeping with its will and interests. The three principles of national reunification are the great common programme of the nation which the north and south confirmed in their July 4 joint statement and proclaimed solemnly to the public at home and abroad.

The ten-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation for the reunification of the country is a political programme to strengthen the motive force of national reunification by achieving the unity of the entire nation.  This programme clearly shows the objective and the ideological basis of great national unity and its principles and methods in an all-round way.

The plan of establishing the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo is a blueprint that shows the full picture of the state to be reunified and the method of its realization.  It indicates the basic method of reunifying the country most reasonably and smoothly on the basis of tolerating the ideas and systems of the north and the south.

The three principles of national reunification, the ten-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation and the plan of establishing the DFRK constitute the three charters for national reunification by which Comrade Kim Il Sung elaborated the basic principles and methods of national reunification into an integral system on the basis of his great Juche idea and his valuable experience of the struggle to reunify the country. The three charters of national reunification are permeated with the spirit of national independence regarding national sovereignty and dignity as lifeblood and embody his noble love for the country and nation for reunifying the country peacefully by achieving north-south reconciliation and the great unity of the entire nation. The three charters clarify the fairest and most reasonable and rational way of reunifying the country at the earliest date in keeping with the real conditions in our country where different ideas and systems exist in its north and south for a long time and in accordance with the entire nation’s aspirations to reunification.

Because the great leader provided the three charters of national reunification, our nation is in a position to develop the struggle for national reunification with the clear objective, direction, confidence and courage and to realize its cherished desire for its reunification successfully by its united effort.  The three charters of national reunification are, indeed, the banner of national reunification as well as the justest and most realistic fighting program for reunifying the country independently and peacefully.

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung rallied the entire nation under the banner of great national unity, prepared the driving force of national reunification and strengthened it further.

Our nation is the motive force of reunifying the country, and its strength lies in great national unity. When our own force of reunification is prepared, the victory of the cause of national reunification is assured.

Regarding patriotism and the spirit of national independence as the basis of national unity, Comrade Kim Il Sung made it the principle of great national unity to subordinate everything to the cause of national reunification, transcending the differences in thoughts, ideas, political views and religion, and led all the people aspiring after reunification, regardless of their past records, to the way for reunification and patriotism with great generosity and magnanimity. He put forward the slogan for national unity, “Those with strength, devote their strength; those with knowledge, offer their knowledge; and those with money, contribute their money!” and encouraged the Korean people from all walks of life to help towards the cause of national reunification, with the mind of loving the country and the nation. His thoughts and ideas of great national unity and his noble love for humanity and the nation were the source of strength that encouraged the Korean compatriots from all sections to set out courageously on the road of national unity and national reunification.

Comrade Kim Il Sung attached great importance to forming the all-nation united front and energetically led the work of uniting the reunification forces in the north, south and abroad.  Basing himself on the experience of the anti-Japanese national united front during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, he put forward the policy of forming the great national united front for the country’s reunification and wisely guided the struggle to implement it. As a result, a great advance was made in the work for organizing the compatriots in the north, south and abroad under the banner of national reunification. When the movement for the reunification of the country developed into a movement involving all the nation and their ardent desire for national reunification soared as never before, a Pan-National Rally representing the Koreans in the north, south and abroad was held and the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification representing the reunification will of the entire nation was born. The formation of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification is an important success achieved in strengthening the motive force of the country’s reunification and developing the reunification movement onto a higher stage.

Today the motive force of reunification, the patriotic cause, is expanded and strengthened on a national scale involving the north, south and abroad and cemented more firmly; it is advancing vigorously towards the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, overwhelming the flunkeyist, treacherous, divisive forces.

The exploits which the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung accomplished on the road of the country’s reunification is the priceless heritage for our people and nation and a solid foundation on which to reunify the country. His lifelong efforts dedicated to the country and nation and his great services to the noble cause of national reunification and independence will shine for ever in the history of our country.

 

2 

  Reunifying the country in our generation without fail by carrying forward the cause of the country’s reunification pioneered and guided by the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung is a firm decision of our Party and a revolutionary will of our people.

  The territorial partition and the division of the nation lasting over half a century are obstructing the uniform development of our nation with a history of 5,000 years and causing immeasurable misfortunes and sufferings to all our nation. If we fail to reunify the country in our generation, the new generations will also suffer the tragedy of national division, even the national community between the north and the south will disappear and the nation will remain divided for ever. When the imperialist colonial system has collapsed and all the countries and nations, that were once oppressed, are advancing along the road of independence, it is an intolerable national shame that our nation that values its dignity and honour as lifeblood has to see its sovereignty trampled upon by foreign forces.

We must achieve the cause of the country’s reunification, the lifelong will of respected Comrade Kim Il Sung and the vital demand of the nation. National reunification is the greatest national task that must not be delayed any longer.  We must reunify the country at all costs and put an end to the tragic history of national division, the history of disgrace.  By reunifying the country, we must save the destiny of the nation from the crisis, hand down the reunified country to the coming generations and defend and exalt the dignity and honour of the nation.

In order to reunify the country, we must defend the imperishable achievements which the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung made for national reunification all his life and carry out the Juche-orientated line and policy for national reunification.

The three charters for the country’s reunification set forth by the great leader are the programmatic guide which all our nation that desires reunification must support. The specific method may change in the struggle for the country’s reunification with the change in the situation but the basic principles and standpoint for the country’s reunification can never change.  In the future we must reunify the country on the basis of the three charters for the country’s reunification no matter how the situation and circumstance may change.

To maintain the Juche character and preserve the national character in shaping the destiny of the country and the nation is a principled requirement for the country’s independence, sovereignty and growth in its wealth and strength and for the prosperity of the nation. By adhering to the Juche character and the national character and brilliantly embodying them during the whole period of his leadership of our revolution, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung achieved the historic cause of national liberation, established a powerful socialist state that is independent, self-sufficient and self-reliant in defence and ensured the display of our nation’s unfathomable strength, talent and unbreakable spirit to the whole world. The lines and charters for the country’s reunification advanced by Comrade Kim Il Sung are motivated by the principled requirement for adhering to the Juche character and the national character and are permeated with them. To thoroughly maintain and embody the Juche character and the national character in the struggle for the reunification and independence of the country is the basic guarantee for reunifying the country successfully in accordance with the interests and desire of our nation.

The country must be reunified at all events on the principle of national independence .

Maintenance of the principle of national independence is fundamental to adhering to the Juche character and the national character.

All nations have the right to shape their destiny by their own hands and independently according to their will. Nobody can deprive a nation of its right to independence or infringe upon it. Since the reunification of our country is an affair of our nation and concerns its right to independence, our nation must achieve it by its own efforts as the master in accordance with its independent will and desire.

In order to reunify the country on the principle of national independence, all the members of the nation must arm themselves firmly with the consciousness of national independence and thoroughly oppose and reject flunkeyism and the idea of dependence on foreign forces.

The consciousness of national independence is ideological strength which makes the nation powerful and the country prosper, whereas flunkeyism and the idea of dependence on foreign forces are an ideological poison that makes a nation disgraceful and powerless. That flunkeyism and the idea of dependence on foreign forces lead to the ruin of the nation is the serious and bitter lesson our nation learned through a long history of national suffering. Our country was occupied by the Japanese imperialists, the early communist movement failed, and the nationalist movement suffered frustration, in the final analysis, because of flunkeyism which meant disbelieving its own strength and grovelling before big powers.

Even after the liberation of the country, the successive rulers of south Korea who worshipped the United States committed anti-reunification treachery to the country and the nation, with the backing of the United States following its aggressive policy. Attempting to find a solution to the problem of national reunification to win back the sovereignty of the nation deprived by foreign forces by depending on foreign forces is a foolish act which is tantamount to putting one’s neck into the noose of slavery of its own accord.

In order to keep the sovereignty and dignity of the nation and to reunify the country in accordance with the will and interests of the nation, we must reject flunkeyism and dependence on foreign forces and resolutely fight against the aggression and interference of foreign forces. We will never allow any attempt to realize an aggressive and dominationist ambition through interference in our country’s reunification. We must struggle more strongly for the country’s reunification upholding the banner of national independence and thus achieve the complete independence and sovereignty of the country and the nation.

In order to reunify the country independently, we must build up the force of our own nation. The great unity of the entire nation is the decisive guarantee for the independent and peaceful reunification of the country. Our nation is directly responsible for national reunification, and no one can take our place in the struggle to reunify our country. Only when the entire nation is united firmly under the banner of great national unity and strengthens the driving force of national reunification can we defeat the attempts of the divisive forces at home and abroad to oppose reunification and accomplish the cause of the country’s reunification.

In order to achieve great national unity we should put the common interests of the nation above all else, relegating the differences in thoughts, ideas and systems to the background, and hold fast to the principle of uniting on this basis. The country’s reunification is not a matter of settling any class contradictions within our nation or antagonism between social systems; it is the national cause of establishing the nation’s sovereignty all over the country. No class or stratum can exist outside the nation and no independence for the members of the nation can be ensured without the independence of the nation. Today when reunifying the country is the supreme task of the nation, no class or stratum should place their interests above the common national interests. No matter how great the difference in ideologies and systems existing in the north and south maybe, it cannot be greater than our national community which has been formed and consolidated and developed over a long period of history. When the north and the south put the national community and the common national interests to the fore and desire the country’s reunification, they can achieve the great unity of the entire nation transcending differences in ideologies and systems.

Love for the country and the nation is the common ideological feeling of all members of the nation and the ideological basis of national unity. To love ardently the country and the nation and value most the national dignity are our nation’s proud tradition and the national characteristics. Anyone who has the blood and soul of the Korean nation must treasure and preserve the admirable national character of the Korean people. Today the true value and worth of life for the Koreans lies in linking their destiny with the destiny of the nation and devoting themselves heart and soul to the noble cause of the country’s reunification and independence and the prosperity of the nation. Everyone who loves the country and the nation and is concerned over their destiny whether he or she lives in the north, in the south or abroad, must unite firmly under the banner of national reunification, regardless of the differences in ideologies and ideas, religious belief and political views, class and stratum.

We maintain that the north and the south join their efforts to promote co-existence, co-prosperity and common interests and achieve the great cause of the country’s reunification transcending the differences in ideologies and social systems. We will join hands with those who take the road of national reunification with national conscience, regardless of their ideas and religious beliefs, and whether they are capitalists, army generals or high authorities. Even those who have committed crimes against the nation in the past, if they repent of their mistakes and come round to the side of the nation, we will let them start with a clean slate, treat them with generosity and unite with them.

Our Party’s line and policy for great national unity constitute all-embracing politics based on love for the country, nation and people. Our consistent policy is to pursue all embracing politics invariably in the whole process of the struggle for the reunification, independence, and prosperity of the country. The line of great national unity which fully embodies the idea of love for the country, nation and people has fully demonstrated its validity and vitality in the long-drawn-out struggle for the restoration of the fatherland, for the building of a new society and for national reunification.  Wee will respect the ideologies, ideas and religions of all parties, organizations and people that aspire after patriotism and turn out for the cause of reunification, and unite with them, thereby fulfilling our duty and remaining loyal to the nation.

Reunifying the country in a peaceful way without recourse to the armed forces is our principled position and the consistent line of our Party.

There is no reason why we fellow countrymen should fight among ourselves on the question of national reunification.  The difference in thoughts and systems existing in the north and the south is not a ground for the use of armed forces. One cannot accept any idea and system under coercion and the difference in ideologies and systems between the north and the south cannot be abolished by a coercive method. If the north and the south fight against each other, our nation will suffer the ravages of war and the imperialists will profit from it. The peaceful reunification of Korea is not only the desire of our nation but also the aspiration of the peace-loving people of the world. Everyone who loves the country and nation and values peace must exert all his or her efforts for the peaceful reunification of the country.

In order to ensure peace in the Korean peninsula and achieve the peaceful reunification of the country we must oppose the moves towards aggression and war and eliminate the danger of war.

Without the struggle against the moves towards aggression and war, it would be impossible to ensure peace and think of peaceful reunification. At present, the manoeuvres of the United States and the south Korean rulers against socialism and our Republic have aggravated the tension and created the danger of war breaking out in the Korean peninsula any minute.

The question of easing the tension and removing the danger of war in our country can be settled, before all else, when the United States gives up its hostile policy against our Republic and a peace treaty is concluded between the DPRK and the US. Our Republic and the United States are still in the state of temporary armistice and the danger of war has not been dispelled from our country. In order to remove the danger of war and ensure peace, a peace treaty must be concluded between us and the United States and a new peace-keeping mechanism must be established. In addition, it is imperative to reaffirm the nonaggression agreement between the north and the south already published to the world and implement it thoroughly.

Although the United States clamours about “the end of cold war” and “easing of the tension”, she is invariably resorting to the “power politics”, threatening us with ceaseless military exercises and aggressive manoeuvres and instigating the south Korean rulers to war provocation. Trying to bring us to our knees by military threat or pressure is a foolish attempt and a dangerous act.

We will defend our socialism firmly and never tolerate anyone to infringe upon the sovereignty and dignity of our nation. Strengthening the revolutionary armed forces to defend the security of the country and people against the moves of the imperialists and the south Korean rulers to provoke war is a natural step to self-defence. The imperialist war-maniacs should refrain from attempting to test our military power by means of their armed forces or to frighten or bring our people to their knees by military threat and provocations.  Such a reckless act will be a dangerous adventure which may end in a terrible catastrophe. We never want war; we are making consistent efforts to reunify the country peacefully.

The most reasonable way to settle the question of Korean reunification smoothly is to reunify the country based on confederation.

Our nation wants to reunify the country as soon as possible in a reasonable way acceptable to everyone. Over half a century has passed since the different systems were established in the north and the south. If, in these circumstances, one side tries to reunify the country under its system, it will further aggravate the state of division, let alone reunification, and end in an irretrievable national disaster.

In view of the urgent requirement of our nation and the situation in the country, the best way to reunify the country as soon as possible is to establish a unified nation-state of confederation based on one nation, one state, two systems and two governments.

Reunification through confederation is a fair and rational way for reunification which does not attach weight to the advantages or interests of only one side or harm any side. Confederal reunification will also contribute to removing the danger of war always hanging over the Korean peninsula and ensuring peace and security of the world.

If the country is reunified by confederation, our nation will establish sovereignty throughout the country and achieve great unity as one nation; our country will become a unified nation-state, independent, peace-loving and neutral. The reunified confederal state will not infringe upon the interests of neighbouring countries and threaten them.

We will advance dynamically along the road of national reunification under the banner of the three charters of national reunification  set  forth  by  the  great  leader  Comrade  Kim Il Sung without the slightest vacillation in any difficulty and trial.

        

3 

Improving the relations between the north and the south is an urgent requirement for achieving the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.

Only when the relations between the north and the south are converted from the relations of distrust and confrontation into those of trust and reconciliation, can the country be reunified independently and peacefully by the united efforts of the whole nation.

The trend of national reunification is now mounting unprecedentedly, but the relations between the north and the south are more strained and acute than ever before. The present south Korean authorities who do not care a straw about the destiny of the nation and national reunification are trying to find a way out by aggravating tension and confrontation between the north and the south, being afraid of their power foothold being shaken to its roots; they have pushed north-south relations into a critical state and are unprecedentedly intensifying warmongering manoevres against the north in collusion with foreign forces. Since the appearance of the present “regime” in south Korea, confrontation has been aggravated between the north and the south instead of reconciliation, and the danger of war increased instead of peace. Having thrown the north-south relations into the worst state is an indelible anti-reunification crime and a treachery to the country and nation committed by the present south Korean authorities.

In order to improve the relations between the north and the south and effect a change towards national reunification, the south Korean authorities, before anything else, should desist from depending on foreign forces and “cooperating” with them, oppose and reject them by uniting efforts with their fellow countrymen from the stand of national independence.

National independence or dependence on foreign forces is a touchstone which distinguishes reunification from division, patriotism from treachery. If anyone takes the road of “cooperating” with foreign forces by depending on them, turning his back on the nation and shutting his eyes to the nation’s own force, he will be forsaken by the nation and punished by history. Only when the south Korean authorities take the stand of national independence and patriotism, can the relations between the north and the south will develop into the relations of trust and reconciliation and a breakthrough be made for national reunification.

The south Korean authorities must change their policy and take the stand of national independence which values and depends on the nation; they must adopt a policy of shaping the destiny of the country and the nation by joining efforts with their fellow countrymen.

Removing the political confrontation between the north and the south is a prerequisite for improving the relations between the north and the south. Only when it is removed, can the military confrontation be eliminated and further, national reconciliation and unity be realized.

The south Korean authorities must have a true sense of national fellowship, change their hostile anti-north confrontation policy into reconciliation policy of alliance with the north; they must refrain from creating misunderstanding and distrust between the north and the south and hampering national reconciliation and unity.

Military confrontation, in addition to political confrontation, must be removed to ease tension.

The military confrontation between north and south gives rise to distrust and misunderstanding between fellow countrymen and makes it impossible to trust and reconcile each other; it will also aggravate tension and lead to national calamity. Without removing military confrontation is it impossible either to improve the north-south relations or to expect peace in the Korean peninsula and peaceful reunification.

In south Korea, at present, they are clamouring about fictitious “threat to invade the south”. However, it is not the “threat to invade the south” but the threat to invade the north that really exists in our country. Were it not for the threat to invade the north, the military confrontation between north and south would be removed.

The south Korean authorities must abandon their dangerous war policy and ease tension.  In south Korea they must stop arms build-up and the import of weapons from abroad, discontinue the joint military exercises with the foreign armed forces and refrain from committing reckless military provocations.

In order to remove the confrontation between north and south and promote national reconciliation and unity, the social and political life in south Korea must be democratized. Whoever comes into power, as long as the fascist rule continues in south Korea, it will be impossible to remove the confrontation between north and south or to think of free discussion and activity for national reunification by political parties, groups and people from all walks of life in south Korea. Worse still, as long as the wicked law against the nation and reunification, like the “National Security Law” which defines the same race as the enemy, regards it as criminal to have a contact and exchange among the people and public figures from various circles in the north and the south and suppresses the patriotic forces for reunification, exists in south Korea, national reconciliation, unity and the contact and exchange between north and south will never be realized. The tortuous history of the national reunification movement which started with the division of the nation shows that as long as the “National Security Law” exists in south Korea, no progress will be made in the north-south relations.

Today the reality in which the patriotic forces of reunification and democracy are being suppressed by the “National Security Law” in south Korea and the north-south relations are in the worst state requires democratization as an imperative task. The “National Security Law” which distresses the south Korean people and causes harm to all the nation must be abolished, and political freedom and democratic rights, such as the freedom of discussion and activity of political parties, groups and strata for national reunification must be guaranteed in south Korea.

These problems must be solved to improve the north-south relations and open a new phase for national reunification.

If the south Korean authorities give up the present anti-national and anti-reunification confrontation policy and make positive change in practice to live up to the expectation of the entire nation, we will meet them at any time to negotiate with an open heart about the destiny of the nation and make joint efforts for the country’s reunification, we will watch their attitude and actions.

In order to find a correct solution to the Korean question, the countries concerned must play a positive role with a sincere attitude of helping Korea’s reunification. They must respect the sovereignty and the reunification will of our nation and closely cooperate to facilitate our nation’s effort to reunify the country independently and peacefully.

The United States, a party who is directly responsible for the Korean question, must sincerely implement her signed commitment and duty. She must radically change her anachronistic policy towards Korea and refrain from interfering with the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea. We have no intention to regard the United States as our sworn enemy for hundreds of years; we hope to normalize the Korea-US relationship. The Korea-US relations will be developed in the interests of the peoples of the two countries if the United States rids herself of the outdated idea of the cold-war age, desists from approaching the Korean question with power politics and facilitates the peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula.

Japan, which imposed immeasurable misfortune and disaster upon our people in the past, must sincerely reflect upon her past, give up her hostile policy towards our Republic and stop instigating the division of Korea and hindering her reunification. Then we will take a friendly approach to Japan, our neighbour, and the abnormal relations between Korea and Japan will be improved.

The future of our people’s struggle for the country’s reunification is not smooth, but the reunification of our country, the cherished desire of our nation, will be achieved without fail.

When Korea is reunified, our country will make its appearance on the world arena with great dignity as a rich and powerful, independent and sovereign state with a 70 million population, and our nation will exalt its pride of being a resourceful, dignified and great nation.

We must  unfold  a  nationwide  struggle  to  carry  out  the  great  leader  Comrade  Kim Il Sung’s instructions for reunification and thus hasten the historic day when our 70 million compatriots will live happily in the unified country.