Anniversary of October 4 Declaration Observed

Pyongyang, October 4 (KCNA) -- The Koreans mark the 9th anniversary of the publication of the historic October 4 declaration. The Declaration for Development of North-South Relations and Peace and Prosperity brought fresh joy to all Koreans ardently aspiring after the country's reunification. It is a practical programme which proceeded from the absolute recognition and confirmation of the idea of By Our Nation Itself whose validity and vitality have been proved in practice in the June 15 era. Regarding patriotism as his lifelong motto, leader Kim Jong Il provided two north-south summits for the first time in the history of the division of the Korean nation and made sure that agreements common to the nation were adopted, laying an eternal cornerstone for national reunification. Dialogue and contacts at different levels were brisk between the north and the south and preparations for implementing the agreements raid progress in various fields. The south Korean puppet group of traitors which took power under the manipulation of the U.S. totally denied the north-south joint declarations with the heinous "May 24 step" while grumbling about the "lost decade" and made desperate efforts to implement the declarations. They are bringing the dark clouds of a nuclear war to the Korean nation while malignantly slandering the DPRK's sincere proposal for holding a joint conference to pave a wide avenue to peace and independent reunification of the country through the concerted efforts of the Koreans as "a camouflaged peace offensive" and asserting " north's dismantlement of its nukes is a top priority task." The national reunification means most ardent patriotism and cherished desire of the Korean nation who has boasted time-honored history and brilliant culture spanning 5 000 years. The Korean nation has grown to be a resourceful and powerful nation capable of independently carving out its destiny and future including the issue of Korea's reunification. The June 15 joint declaration, reunification programme common to the nation, and the October 4 declaration, the programme for implementing it, will always remain viable. -0-