Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea held a historic summit meeting and talks in Pyongyang from June 13 to 15, Juche 89 (2000).
The two top leaders appreciated that the summit meeting and talks, the first of its kind since the division of the country, were events of great significance in promoting mutual understanding, developing inter-Korean relations and achieving peaceful reunification.
They adopted the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration as follows:
1. The north and the south agreed to solve the question of the country’s reunification independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation responsible for it.
2. The north and the south, recognizing that the low-level federation proposed by the north and the commonwealth system by the south for the reunification of the country have similarity, agreed to work together for the reunification in this direction in the future.
3. The north and the south agreed to settle humanitarian issues as early as possible, including the exchange of visiting groups of separated families and relatives and the issue of unconverted long-term prisoners, to mark August 15 this year.
4. The north and the south agreed to promote the balanced development of the national economy through economic cooperation and build mutual confidence by activating cooperation and exchange in all fields, social, cultural, sports, public health, environmental and so on.
5. The north and the south agreed to hold an authority-to-authority negotiation as soon as possible to put the above-mentioned agreed points into speedy operation.
