Editing Korean reunification (section)

==== North-South Joint Communiqué, 1972 ====
After the [[détente]] between the [[United States]] and [[China]], the North and South Korean governments made in 1972 the [[July 4 South–North Joint Statement]] to improve the relations between the two countries on July 4, 1972. It had a representative of each government secretly visit the other's capital city, and both sides agreed to a North-South Joint Communiqué, outlining the steps to be taken towards achieving a peaceful [[reunification]] of the country:
# Unification shall be achieved through independent Korean efforts without being subject to the external imposition of interference.
# Unification shall be achieved through peaceful means, and not through the [[use of force in international law|use of force]] against each other.
# As a homogeneous people, a great [[national unity]] shall be sought above all, transcending differences in ideas, ideologies, and systems.
# In order to ease tensions, and foster an atmosphere of mutual trust between the South and the North, the two sides have agreed not to slander or defame each other, not to undertake armed provocations whether on a large or small scale and to take positive measures to prevent inadvertent military incidents.
# The two sides, in order to restore severed national ties, promote mutual understanding, and expedite independent peaceful unification, have agreed to carry out various exchanges in many fields such as culture and science.
# The two sides have agreed to cooperate positively with each other to seek early success of the North-South [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Red Cross]] talks, which are underway with the fervent expectations of the entire people.
# The two sides, in order to prevent the outbreak of unexpected military incidents and to deal directly, promptly, and accurately with problems arising between the North and the South, have agreed to install a direct telephone line between Seoul and Pyongyang.
# The two sides, in order to implement the aforementioned agreed-upon items, to solve various problems existing between the North and the South, and to settle the unification problem on the basis of the agreed-upon principles for the unification of the [[Fatherland]], have agreed to establish and operate a North-South Coordinating Committee co-chaired by Director [[Lee Hu-rak|Yi Hurak]] [representing the South] and Director [[Kim Yong-ju]] [representing the North].
# The two sides, firmly convinced that the aforementioned agreed-upon items correspond with the common aspirations of the entire people, who are anxious to see an early unification of the Fatherland, hereby solemnly pledge before the entire [[Korean people]] that they will faithfully carry out these agreed-upon items."<ref>''Korean Quarterly'' 14:3 (autumn 1972):58-60.</ref>

The agreement outlined the steps to be taken towards achieving a peaceful reunification of the country. However, the North-South Coordination Committee was disbanded the following year after no progress had been made towards implementing the agreement. In January 1989, the founder of [[Hyundai Group|Hyundai]], [[Jung Ju-young]], toured North Korea and promoted tourism in [[Mount Kumgang]]. After a twelve-year hiatus, the prime ministers of the two Koreas met in [[Seoul]] in September 1990 to engage in the [[Inter-Korean summits]] or High-Level Talks. In December, the two countries reached an agreement on issues of reconciliation, [[Non-aggression pact|nonaggression]], cooperation, and exchange between North and South in "The Agreement on Reconciliation, Nonaggression, Cooperation, and Exchange Between North and South",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/t/ac/rls/or/2004/31012.htm|title=Agreement on Reconciliation, Nonaggression and Exchanges And Cooperation Between the South and the North|website=2001-2009.state.gov|access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref> but these talks collapsed over [[North Korea and weapons of mass destruction#International inspections|inspection of nuclear facilities]]. In 1994, after former U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s visit to [[Pyongyang]], the leaders of the two Koreas agreed to meet with each other, but the meeting was prevented by the [[Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung|death of Kim Il Sung]] that July.<ref>Ch'oe, Yong-ho, Bary William Theodore. De, Martina Deuchler, and Peter Hacksoo. Lee. Sources of Korean Culture: From the Sixteenth to the Twentieth Century. Vol. 2. New York: Columbia Univ., 2000. 425-6. Print.</ref>