June 13 statement of vice-chairman of C. C. of NDFSK

The vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea issued a statement on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the South-North Joint Declaration. The statement reads.

Today we greet the 2nd anniversary of the historic June 15 South-North Joint Declaration, which put the nation's reunification movement on the orbit of independence and brought a new age of independent national reunification.

In June 2000, respected Marshal Kim Jong Il, sun of the nation and lodestar of national reunification, performed an immortal feat by arranging the historic inter-Korean summit meeting in Pyongyang for the first time in history with the courage of Baekdu and patriotic resolve and adopting the joint declaration, the program of reunification common to the nation.

The declaration, the gist of which is to solve the reunification issue independently with the concerted efforts of the nation, is the common program of the nation that indicates the most realistic and reasonable way to reunification, the long-cherished desire of the nation.

It is a brilliant fruit produced by the love for the country, the nation and the people of the great Marshal who, regarding it as his noblest mission to carry out the fatherly President Kim Il Sung's instructions for reunification, is making restless efforts to provide the nation with a reunified country.

Since the Marshal, the peerlessly great man of Baekdu, published the joint declaration at a historic time of centurial change, the Korean nation has come to have an almighty sword for achieving peaceful reunification under the banner of national independence and great unity.

Under the sagacious leadership of the Marshal, the peerless patriot, the joint declaration, which opened a bright prospect of reunification unprecedented in the half-a-century long history of national division, has produced a great progress and wonderful changes in the reunification movement of the nation, fully displaying its attraction and vitality for two years.

Today the south Korean people warmly admire the Marshal who has safeguarded the destiny of the nation and opened a new era of independent reunification by enforcing the army-centered policy unique in the world political history. Their will to uphold and follow him as the father of the nation gets stronger as days go by.

The public enthusiasm for national independence and unity to solve the reunification problem independently with the concerted efforts of the nation under the banner of the declaration is now flowing like a torrent no force can check and the anti-US struggle for independent reunification is developing onto an all-people struggle throughout south Korea.

Inter-Korean contacts, dialogue, travel, exchange and cooperation are brisk for carrying out the declaration, thus promoting national reconciliation, unity and reunification, and the international support and encouragement to the Korean nation's cause of independent reunification increase with each passing day.

Wonderful changes have taken place for two years after the publication of the declaration, which had been unimaginable for five decades after the division. It is entirely thanks to the great ideology and wise leadership of Kim Jong Il. He is indeed the leader of the nation who will realize independent reunification in the new century.

The NDFSK vanguard fighters and all other patriotic people in the south are extending the highest honor and warmest thanks to the Marshal who is illumining the way ahead of reunification and weaving a new history of reunification in the van of the nation. They are full of the volition to faithfully follow his idea and leadership to hasten the day of independent reunification.

All those who truly support the joint declaration should follow the noble patriotic idea and outstanding leadership of the Marshal, the defender of national destiny, and turn out in the patriotic struggle to materialize the declaration.

The crisis of nuclear war which will ruin the whole nation is increasing day by day on the Korean Peninsula owing to the vicious moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad. The prevailing situation calls upon the people to secure the peace and achieve reunification under the banner of national independence and great unity.

All people who value the destiny of the nation should hold ever higher the slogan of independent reunification "Reunify the country by the concerted efforts of the nation!" and intensify the anti-US struggle for independence in order to implement the joint declaration.

The NDFSK, together with all people, will further activate the struggle for the implementation of the declaration and make a decisive phase of reunification by making this year a "year of promoting unity and reunification with the concerted efforts of the nation".

Seoul

June 13, Juche 91 (2002)