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| Our trip to the North has fulfilled many expectations, not only for the people of the world who doubt the unity of our nation, but also for many compatriots who long for the independence of their country. And the Joint conference of representatives of political parties and social organizations of South and North Korea is another such action that proves that our people, like any great people in the world, can unite across ideologies and partisanship to overcome the crisis of the homeland and ensure the survival of the nation. The conference was unanimous in its opposition to the separate election and the separate government of South Korea and in its demand for the withdrawal of U.S. and Soviet troops in order to rebuild an independent, democratic, and unified Korea. North Korean officials also affirmed that they would never establish a separate government.
This is a historic new development in our independence movement, and it is of great significance to us. Moreover, the Joint statement of representatives of political parties and social organizations of South and North Korea promised to convene a national political conference after the withdrawal of the two armies, to organize a unified provisional government, to enact a constitution and establish a formal unified government by holding a national general election, thereby laying down the basis for the reunification of our nation, specifying the direction of building an autonomous and democratic unified Korea, and confirming that we can lead a peaceful national life without the interference of foreign powers. Therefore, we affirm that even if we fall into any dangerous situation in the future, we will not indulge in fratricide as indicated in the Joint Statement. We cannot be satisfied with this because we cannot be happy with the first attempt. The final success of what has already been accomplished can only be achieved by the united efforts of all our patriotic countrymen. We regret that we were not able to carry out all our demands on international cooperation and some other matters at the above-mentioned joint conference, but we believe that the issue of international cooperation can be easily settled in practical action, and that other matters can be settled amicably in the future by mutual efforts and frequent contact between the leaders of the North and South. We have proved that our peoples can be united not only by our actions, but also by our experience that we can negotiate on any issue. To give one example, a North Korean official told a group of South Korean newspaper reporters that they would suspend electricity transmission to South Korea in the shortest possible time because of a dispute with a U.S. official in South Korea; secondly, the opening of several reservoirs, including the Yeonbaek Reservoir, has not been amicable, but through our negotiations, it will all be resolved. It was decided that in the future the North Korean authorities would not cut electricity and would open the reservoirs. And in response to our request to travel south with Dr. Cho Mansik, the North Korean officials promised that they would endeavor to do so in the future, although they could not do so at this time. Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my countrymen for their concern for the safety of my party, and to the authorities and the press of the North and South, and to the commanders garrisoned in both countries, for their hospitality and convenience. May 6, the 30th year of the Republic of Korea Kim Gu·Kim Kyusik |
