Living up to Wishes of Nation and Expectation of Int'l Community Called for

Pyongyang, May 17 (KCNA) -- The historic north-south summit jolted the Korean peninsula and the rest of the world with pleasure and its great significance stands out in bold relief as the days go by. The summit at Panmunjom and the April 27 declaration rapidly turned the trend of situation on the peninsula going to confrontation and war into that of reconciliation, unity and peace and heralded the start of new history, an era of peace, and they have been fully supported by all Koreans and the international community. The fellow countrymen in south Korea and abroad and heads of state, political parties, organizations, personages and broad media of different countries of the world praised the inter-Korean summit as "historic meeting, historic handshaking, historic talks" and "start of new history of peace in the Korean peninsula", hoping that the Panmunjom declaration will open the way for détente on the peninsula and lasting peace and reconciliation. This is the trend of the times and expectation of the international community. Everyone should be sincere and faithful to the national joint agreement and adhere to the principle of national independence to make the seed of peace and reunification reflecting the cherished desire of the nation and the aspiration of mankind become a full-grown fruit. It is proved by the nearly 10-year-long dark days of mistrust and confrontation. Had the north-south agreements been sincerely implemented irrespective of the regime changes in south Korea, the north-south relations would not have suffered turns and twists and a big advance would have been made in the cause of reunification. It is important to respect the historic agreements declared before the nation and the world without reading other's face or calculation and constantly and sincerely implement the contents of the declaration. Recently the DPRK made very significant and important decisions and measures for the improvement of the north-south relations and peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula one after another, showing the resolute will to implement the Panmunjom declaration. But some of south Koreans made reckless remarks about "rosy color illusion", saying that "it is no more than a declaration". Such remarks, anti-DPRK human rights rackets pursuant to the U.S. policy, and unreasonable behaviors for interests are very far from the improvement of the north-south relations and their sustained development. Such insincere attitude and stand are going against the wishes of the nation and expectation of the international community and will bring grave consequences hurting the hard-won positive atmosphere. One Korea is not an abstract meaning. The north-south relations will improve and reunification and co-prosperity of the Korean nation will be achieved earlier only when all give priority to the great cause of the nation on the basis of mutual understanding and trust and bring everything in step with it. -0-