DPRK calls for unification with South Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) made an announcement addressed to "all Koreans at home and abroad" on Thursday, saying they should make a "breakthrough" for unification without the help of other countries, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

It urged all people of the two countries to "promote contact, travel, and cooperation”, adding that Pyongyang will "smash" all challenges against reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

It said that 2018 is an important year for the two countries on the Korean Peninsula as it marks the 70th anniversary of the DPRK's founding, while the Republic of Korea (ROK) will host the Winter Olympics next month.

Military tension on the Korean Peninsula was a “fundamental obstacle” for the improvement of inter-Korean relations and unification, the statement said.

It added that joint military drills with "outside forces" have shown to be unhelpful for the development of the relations between the two countries.

(CGTN)