Pyongyang, May 9 (KCNA) -- Strong enthusiasm for national reunification is running high across the 3 000-ri land of Korea after the April 27 special event in Panmunjom.

All Koreans in the north and the south and abroad ardently hope that the eye-opening reality will lead to genuine peace and reunification.

The international community is unanimously hailing and supporting the adoption of the April 27 Declaration, the most realistic and reasonable, the core of which is the idea of By Our Nation Itself, the principle of national independence, and which are suitable to the will and desire of the whole Korean nation and aspiration of the progressives after peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula.

The great event in national history which brought about a turning phase in accomplishing the cause of independent reunification is a precious fruition of the firm will of the top leaders of the north and the south to put an end to division and confrontation as soon as possible and thus courageously usher in a fresh era of national reconciliation and peace and prosperity and the concerted efforts of the north and the south.

However, foolish remarks that the event is an "effect of sanctions and pressure" and "result of the support by Trump and neighboring countries" are heard from some of south Korea. They are seriously contrary to the principle of national independence confirmed by the north and the south in the Panmunjom Declaration stipulating that the destiny of the Korean nation is decided by itself.

It is absurd to assert that the great event in which Panmunjom Declaration came into being was attributable to "support" by outsiders.

The world now clearly understands how the north and the south could make concerted efforts to provide the excited reality as it is on the Korean peninsula plagued with touch-and-go situation.

During the historic north-south summit, the respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In planted a pine tree at Panmunjom, with a mixture of soils from Mts Paektu and Halla and water from the Rivers Taedong and Han, to the effect that the north and the south should work hard to pave the future in the staunch spirit like ever-green pine tree.

Nobody can find fault with the initiative and independent measures of the DPRK to develop the trend of improving the north and the south on the principle of national independence and thus create the peaceful climate on the Korean peninsula and make a new history of prosperity.

The principle of independence is essential for the settlement of national issues as well as for the great unity of the whole nation.

Only when the great unity of the whole nation is achieved on the principle of independence, can the Korean nation be responsible for its destiny and become the great driving force and decisive force of national reunification and prosperity.

The Korean nation is no longer weak nation in the past that was deprived of sovereignty and country by foreign forces, but it is a resourceful and strong nation capable of carving out its destiny by its own effort.

It is not accidental that the international community comments that if the north and the south of Korea are reunified into one, it will "emerge one of the most powerful countries on the earth".

The issue of national reunification should be solved independently in keeping with the desire and demand of the nation, free from the domination and interference by outsiders. This is a lesson drawn from the Korean nation's history of division spanning more than 50 years.

If the principle of national independence is not maintained, it will be impossible to improve the inter-Korean relations in line with the will and demand of the whole nation. -0-