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North-South Korea Joint Communiqué

Text of the North-South Korea Joint Communiqué

NORTH-SOUTH JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
Pyongyang, July 4, 1972

Talks were held in Pyongyang and Seoul for discussing the question of improving the relations between the north and the south and reunifying the divided country.

Ri Hu Rak, director of the Central Intelligence Agency in Seoul, visited Pyongyang in the period from May 2 to 5, 1972, and had talks with Kim Yong Ju, director of the Organizational Guidance Department in Pyongyang, and Second Vice-Premier Pak Sung Chol, on behalf of Director Kim Yong Ju, visited Seoul in the period from May 29 – to June 1, 1972, and had talks with Director Ri Hu Rak.

At these talks the two sides had an openhearted exchange of opinions with the common desire to achieve the peaceful reunification of the country at the earliest possible date and attained big success in promoting mutual understanding. In this course, the two sides reached a complete accord of view on the following points to dispel misunderstanding and distrust between the north and the south caused by the absence of meeting for a long period and ease the tension at its high pitch and, furthermore, promote the reunification of the country;

  1. The two sides reached an agreement on the following principles of the reunification of the country:
    • Firstly, reunification should be achieved independently, without reliance upon outside force or its interference;
    • Secondly, reunification should be achieved by peaceful means, without recourse to the use of arms against the other side;
    • Thirdly, great national unity should be promoted first of all as one nation, transcending the differences of ideology, ideal and system.
  2. The two sides agreed upon refraining from slandering and calumniating the other side and from committing armed provocations, big or small, and upon taking active measures for preventing incidents of unexpected military conflicts, in order to ease the tension between the north and the south and create an atmosphere of trust.
  3. The two sides agreed upon realizing versatile interchange in various fields between the north and the south to restore the national ties now severed, promote mutual understanding and accelerate independent peaceful reunification.
  4. The two sides agreed upon rendering active cooperation in bringing to an early success the north-south Red Cross talks now in progress amid the great expectation of the whole nation.
  5. The two sides agreed upon installing permanent direct telephone links between Pyongyang and Seoul to prevent unforeseen military incidents and deal with directly, promptly and, accurately the questions arising between the north and the south.
  6. The two sides agreed upon forming and operating a North-South Coordination Committee with Director Kim Yong Ju and Director Li Hu Rak as its co-chairman for the purpose of promoting the implementation of these points of agreement and, at the same time, improving and settling various problems between the north and the south and solving the question of the country’s reunification on the basis of the principles of the national reunification agreed upon.
  7. Firmly believing that the points of agreement mentioned above conform to the unanimous desire of the whole nation which aspires after national reunification, feeling as if days are so many years, the two sides solemnly promise to the whole nation to honestly fulfil these points of agreement.

Agreed upon July 4th 1972 by:

Kim Yong Ju
North side delegate

Li Hu Rak
South side delegate

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