Supreme leader Kim Jong Un, in his New Year Address, clarified the realistic ways for achieving national reunification.

Pursuant to his will, the DPRK National Defence Commission advanced a crucial proposal and an open letter to south Korea. And the Central Committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society proposed to the south Korean Red Cross arranging the reunion of separated families and their relatives from the north and the south.

Those steps taken by the DPRK reflect the ardent desire and will of all Koreans to open up a new phase for reconciliation and unity between the north and the south and their improved relations this year.

The Korean nation is now faced with a historic task to realize the country's reunification through implementation of those proposals.

The independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the country can be achieved only when all Koreans resolutely reject foreign forces and hold fast to the standpoint of By Our Nation Itself.

Foreign forces are a marplot standing in the way of reconciliation and unity of the Korean nation.

The disgraceful history of Korea's division is by no means ascribable to differing ideologies and social systems in the north and the south.

The Koreans are a homogenous nation that had lived in harmony for 5 000 years.

But, they have long stood in antagonism and confrontation with each other due to foreign forces' vicious alienation and war moves.

Foreign forces do not want to see reunified and prosperous Korea, attempting to gain profits from the division and confrontation of its nation. That's why they have got hell-bent on the war moves, clamoring about "threat from the north" whenever an opportunity presents itself.

It will be a great tragedy for the Korean nation, well aware that the reunification of the country is the only way for its existence, to remain a subject of foreign forces' splitting maneuver for an indefinite period.

To decisively reject foreign forces is requisite to improving the north-south relations and reunifying the country.

All Koreans should sharpen their vigilance against the aggression moves of foreign forces seeking national division and confrontation and check such attempts in order to achieve the independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the country without fail.