July 4th North-South Joint Statement
July 4, 1972
Seoul's KCIA Director Lee Hu Rak visited Pyongyang from May 2, 1972 to May 5, 1972 and met with Pyongyang's Director of Cadre Organization Kim Young Ju; and Pak Sung Chul, the 2nd Vice-premier, on behalf of Director Kim Young Ju, visited Seoul from May 29, 1972 to June 1, 1972 and met with Director Lee Hu Rak.
The parties have exchanged their views on the mutual desire for the early peaceful reunification of Korea and made progress in mutual understanding of the other side's points of views.
The parties have reached an unanimous agreement on the following items for reducing North-South tensions caused by the lack of mutual communication for so long, and for promoting the reunification of the fatherland.
The parties have agreed upon the following principles for the reunification.
- First, the reunification must be achieved with no reliance on external forces or interference. It must be achieved internally.
- Second, the reunification must be achieved peacefully without the use of military forces against the other side.
- Third, both parties must promote national unity as a united people over any differences of our ideological and political systems.
- The parties agree to implement appropriate measures to stop military provocation which may lead to unintended armed conflicts, to cultivate an atmosphere of mutual trust between North and South by refraining from vilifying the other side.
- The parties agree to restore the severed national lineage and promote mutual understanding by implementing multi-faceted North-South exchange of information.
- The parties agree to expedite the North-South Red Cross meetings, currently under negotiation, ardently longed for by the Korean people
- The parties agree to establish direct phone contacts between Seoul and Pyongyang in order to prevent accidental military clashes by prompt and accurate resolution of any urgent potential problems.
- The parties agree to establish the North-South Coordinating Commission, co-chaired by Director Lee Hu Rak and Director Kim Young Ju, in order to implement the items agreed upon above, to resolve North-South issues, and to promote the reunification of our fatherland.
- The parties solemnly swear to faithfully abide by the agreement, as desired by all of our countrymen.
By the wish of our respective superiors
Lee Hu Rak / Kim Young Ju
In Korean (Hangul fonts required) [Source: Pres. Kim Young Sam's Home Page]
Editor's note: Kim Young Ju is Kim Il Sung's (real name, Kim Sung Ju) brother. Pak Sung Chul, a Kim Il Sung partisan, has held various key positions in N Korea. Ironically, a North Korean death squad attempted to assassinate Pres. Park Chung Hee in 1968.
Soon after the July 4th Joint Statement was issued, Lee Hu Rak was dismissed from KCIA and Gen. Kim Jae Kyu, a boyhood friend of Pres. Park Chung Hee took over the KCIA. On October 26, 1979, Kim Jae Kyu killed Park Chung Hee at the KCIA headquarters. Gen. Chun Doo Whan, who took over the KCIA in 1979, alleges that Kim Jae Kyu was a US CIA agent and that the US CIA was involved in Park's assassination.
One wonders if the forces, who were against Pres. Park's reconciliation with the North, sabotaged the implementation of the July 4th agenda.
