Pyongyang, 4 October 2007
In accordance with the agreement between
President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea and Chairman Kim Jong
Il of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, President Roh visited Pyongyang from October 2-4, 2007.
During the visit, there were historic meetings and discussions.
At the meetings and talks, the two sides have reaffirmed the spirit
of the June 15 Joint Declaration and had frank discussions on various
issues related to realizing the advancement of South-North relations,
peace on the Korean Peninsula, common prosperity of the Korean people
and unification of Korea.
Expressing confidence that they can forge a new era of national
prosperity and unification on their own initiative if they combine
their will and capabilities, the two sides declare as follows, in
order to expand and advance South-North relations based on the June 15
Joint Declaration:
1. The South and the North shall uphold and endeavor actively to
realize the June 15 Declaration.
The South and the North have agreed to resolve the issue of
unification on their own initiative and according to the spirit of “by-the-Korean-people-themselves.”
The South and the North will work out ways to commemorate the June
15 anniversary of the announcement of the South-North Joint
Declaration to reflect the common will to faithfully carry it out.
2. The South and the North have agreed to firmly transform
inter-Korean relations into ties of mutual respect and trust,
transcending the differences in ideology and systems.
The South and the North have agreed not to interfere in the internal
affairs of the other and agreed to resolve inter-Korean issues in the
spirit of reconciliation, cooperation and reunification.
The South and the North have agreed to overhaul their respective
legislative and institutional apparatuses in a bid to develop
inter-Korean relations in a reunification-oriented direction.
The South and the North have agreed to proactively pursue dialogue
and contacts in various areas, including the legislatures of the two
Koreas, in order to resolve matters concerning the expansion and
advancement of inter-Korean relations in a way that meets the
aspirations of the entire Korean people.
3. The South and the North have agreed to closely work together to
put an end to military hostilities, mitigate tensions and guarantee
peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The South and the North have agreed not to antagonize each other,
reduce military tension, and resolve issues in dispute through
dialogue and negotiation.
The South and the North have agreed to oppose war on the Korean
Peninsula and to adhere strictly to their obligation to nonaggression.
The South and the North have agreed to hold talks between the
South’s Minister of Defense and the North’s Minister of the People’s
Armed Forces in Pyongyang in November to discuss ways of designating a
joint fishing area in the West Sea to avΟid accidental clashes and turning it
into a peace area and also to discuss measures to build military
confidence, including security guarantees for various cooperative projects.
4. The South and the North both recognize the need to end the
current armistice regime and build a permanent peace regime. The South
and the North have also agreed to work together to advance the matter
of having the leaders of the three or four parties directly concerned
to convene on the Peninsula and declare an end to the war.
With regard to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the South
and the North have agreed to work together to implement smoothly the
September 19, 2005 Joint Statement and the February 13, 2007 Agreement
achieved at the Six-Party Talks.
5. The South and the North have agreed to facilitate, expand, and
further develop inter-Korean economic cooperation projects on a
continual basis for balanced economic development and co-prosperity on
the Korean Peninsula in accordance with the principles of common
interests, co-prosperity and mutual aid.
The South and the North reached an agreement on promoting economic
cooperation, including investments, pushing forward with the building
of infrastructure and the development of natural resources. Given the
special nature of inter-Korean cooperative projects, the South and the
North have agreed to grant preferential conditions and benefits to
those projects.
The South and the North have agreed to create a “special peace and
cooperation zone in the West Sea” encompassing Haeju and vicinity in a
bid to proactively push ahead with the creation of a joint fishing
zone and maritime peace zone, establishment of a special economic
zone, utilization of Haeju harbor, passage of civilian vessels via
direct routes in Haeju and the joint use of the Han River estuary.
The South and the North have agreed to complete the first-phase
construction of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex at an early date and
embark on the second-stage
development project. The South and the North have agreed to open
freight rail services between Munsan and Bongdong and promptly
complete various institutional measures, including those related to
passage, communication, and customs clearance procedures.
The South and the North have agreed to discuss repairs of the
Gaeseong-Sinuiju railroad and the Gaeseong-Pyongyang expressway for
their joint use.
The South and the North have agreed to establish cooperative
complexes for shipbuilding in Anbyeon and Nampo, while continuing
cooperative projects in various areas such as agriculture, health and
medical services and environmental protection.
The South and the North have agreed to upgrade the status of the
existing Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee to a
Joint Committee for Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation to be headed by
deputy prime minister-level officials.
6. The South and the North have agreed to boost exchanges and
cooperation in the social areas covering history, language, education,
science and technology, culture and arts, and sports to highlight the
long history and excellent culture of the Korean people.
The South and the North have agreed to carry out tours to Mt. Baekdu
and open non-stop flight services between Seoul and Mt. Baekdu for
this purpose.
The South and the North have agreed to send a joint cheering squad
from both sides to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The squad will use
the Gyeongui Railway Line for the first-ever joint Olympic cheering.
7. The South and the North have agreed to actively promote
humanitarian cooperation projects.
The South and the North have agreed to expand reunion of separated
family members and their relatives and promote exchanges of video messages.
To this end, the South and the North have agreed to station resident
representatives from each side at the reunion center at Mt. Geumgang
when it is completed and regularize reunions of separated family
members and their relatives.
The South and the North have agreed to actively cooperate in case of
emergencies, including natural disasters, according to the principles
of fraternal love, humanitarianism and mutual assistance.
8. The South and the North have agreed to increase cooperation to
promote the interests of the Korean people and the rights and
interests of overseas Koreans on the international stage.
The South and the North have agreed to hold inter-Korean prime
ministers’ talks for the implementation of this Declaration and have
agreed to hold the first round of meetings in November 2007 in Seoul.
The South and the North have agreed that their highest authorities
will meet frequently for the advancement of relations between the two sides.
Roh Moo-hyun
President
Republic
of Korea
Kim Jong Il
Chairman, National
Defense Commission
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea