• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Joint Function of North and South Authorities Held

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

    Pyongyang, June 15 (KCNA) -- A joint function of the north and south Korean authorities was held at the People's Palace of Culture Wednesday to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the publication of the historic June 15 joint declaration.
    Present at the joint function were the delegation of the north authorities headed by Kim Ki Nam, vice-chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, and members of its advisory council and the delegation of the south authorities headed by Jong Tong Yong, minister of Unification, and members of its advisory council.
    Kim Ki Nam in his speech paid high tribute and extended warm thanks to leader Kim Jong Il and former President Kim Dae Jung who brought about a turning phase in achieving reconciliation, unity and independent reunification by publishing the June 15 joint declaration, a new milestone in the history of the reunification movement of the Korean nation. He also extended thanks to those personages in the north and the south who contributed to the publication of the joint declaration.
    The participation of north and south authorities in the grand festival for national reunification that opened with splendor with representatives of Koreans at home and abroad attending to mark the 5th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration is something unprecedented because it marks a good occasion of demonstrating the real picture of the Koreans advancing in the spirit of "By our nation itself", he noted, and went on:
    The north and south authorities, which have a major role to play in the implementation of the joint declaration, should join hands with each other to steadily develop the inter-Korean relations and take the lead in the Koreans' dynamic march for reunification.
    Jong Tong Yong in his speech referred to the brisk exchanges and cooperation made in various fields between the south and the north over the past five years, adding that this constitutes a basis for reunification.
    The dispatch of delegations by the authorities of both sides is intended to evidently demonstrate at home and abroad once again their will to implement the June 15 joint declaration, Jong said, calling upon the south and the north to further deepen their trust on this occasion.
    Rim Tong Won, member of the south side's advisory council, in his congratulatory speech said the joint declaration implanted the confidence that it is possible to solve the problem of the nation in an independent manner when the north and the south join their efforts and increased the dignity of the nation. And he expressed the belief that the ongoing event would mark a significant occasion for everyone to vow to take the lead in strictly abiding by and implementing the joint declaration.
    Ri Jong Hyok, member of the advisory council of the north side, said in his congratulatory speech that the authorities of both sides should hold aloft the banner of "By our nation itself," the idea clarified by them at home and abroad through the joint declaration, and fully realize national cooperation to solve all the issues in the common interests of the nation.
    For the present they should positively contribute to terminating the history of confrontation characterized by antagonism and enmity and putting the inter-Korean relations on a new higher stage of development, they added.