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Meeting of Our Nation Opens

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

    Inchon, June 15 (KCNA correspondent ) -- The Meeting of Our Nation to mark the 4th anniversary of the publication of the historic June 15 joint declaration opened in Inchon Tuesday. Prior to the meeting there was a grand march for national reunification to implement the joint declaration and achieve national unity.
    Present at the meeting from the north side were delegates of different organizations including the Korean Social Democratic Party, the Chondoist Chongu Party, the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, the National Reconciliation Council, the North Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification and the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and the Korean Council of Religionists.
    Present there from the south side were delegates of the Reunification Solidarity, the People's Council for National Reconciliation and Cooperation, Seven Orders, the Headquarters of the Movement of All Compatriots for Going Hand in Hand, the south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of south Korean Trade Unions, the south Korean Council of Youth Organizations, the General Federation of Peasants' Associations, the Federation of Women's Organizations, and others.
    Also participating in the meeting were delegates of organizations of overseas Koreans from different countries including China, Japan, the U.S., Germany and Australia. After the meeting was declared open a flag of the meeting was hoisted amid the playing of the song Arirang.
    Kim Jong Ho, chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of the Unions of Literature and the Arts of Korea, made a speech on behalf of the north side. He said it is the way of bringing earlier national harmony and unity to invariably uphold and implement the June 15 joint declaration in any storm and stress.
    In order to avert the danger of war to the Korean nation and defend peace, it is necessary to cherish the spirit that Korean nation is the best, not depending on others' strength, and build up its strength and national cooperation is the only way for this, he added.
    He called upon all Koreans to unite close, irrespective of idea, political view and religious belief, and turn out as one to achieve the sacred cause to bring the morning of reunification.
    Bishop of the Inchon Parish of Roman Catholicism Choe Ki San, permanent chairman of the Organizing Committee for the meeting of our nation, in a speech made on behalf of the south side called for putting an end to the bitter history in which the capacity and will of our nation have been ignored and the nation has undergone sufferings due to the division caused by big powers by informing the world that peace and reunification should be achieved according to the intention of the Korean nation through the unity of the Korean nation and the expanded cooperation between the north and the south. Ri Haeng U, chairman of the American Federation for Independence, Democracy and Reunification, in a speech made on behalf of the overseas side said that to implement the June 15 joint declaration leads to achieving national unity and establishing national identity and it represents a great advance in the national history of carving out the future of a reunified country.
    A declaration of great national unity read out at the meeting said that all the fellow countrymen would always unite in defending the existence of the nation and achieving peace of the country on the principle of national independence, the basic spirit of the joint declaration, irrespective of ideology and system in the efforts to achieve reunification.
    Representatives of the north and the south and overseas had sports and amusement games in the afternoon.
    A north-south art performance representing the pride of our nation was also given on the occasion.
    In the evening a banquet was given in the commemoration of the day.
    The meeting continues.