Letter from the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the North Korean Supreme People’s Assembly to the National Assembly, Republic of Korea

To: Mr. Jae Sun KIM
Speaker of the National Assembly, Republic of Korea

I have received your letter of 18th July.

In your letter you indicated that your parliament would like to use the occasion of the Games of the XXIVth Olympiad to restore peace and national reconciliation in the Korean peninsula and do away with the difficulties of separation and work toward the democratic reunification.

We have noted your parliament’s position concerning the Games of the XXIVth Olympiad.
As the whole world knows, we have the same view and believe beneficially resolving the XXIVth Olympic Games issue for national peace and peaceful reunification.

To host a worldwide festival such as the Olympics in a divided nation like ours, the Olympics should be made to contribute to national reunification rather than national division as well as to national harmony and not national confrontation.

We have been asserting that the Games of the XXIVth Olympiad be co-hosted by the north and south as one people and to realize this goal we have spared no effort. However, you have been opposed to this co-hosting proposal which would contribute to reconciliation, harmony and reunification. Instead, you vehemently want to have half-size Olympics in a divided nation.

It is indeed fortunate that you belatedly propose to using the Olympics as a turning point to achieve national harmony and unity and realize peace and peaceful reunification of the divided peninsula.

We propose that a north-south Korean lawmakers meeting now under discussion be held in August before the Olympics Games and discuss as an urgent matter your invitation to us and our proposal to co-host the Olympic Games.

This unselfish proposal of ours originated from a sincere stand hoping to open an epochal phase for the future of national peace and peaceful reunification.

The successful discussion of the Games of the XXIVth Olympiad issue will not only reduce tension and create an atmosphere conducive to peaceful reunification but also show that the north and south are working together to resolve our problem.

Against this background I hope you will agree with our proposal to have a joint north and south declaration and discussion on the Games of the XXIVth Olympiad issue. I look forward to your positive reply.

Hyong-Sup YANG
Chairman
Standing Committee of the North Korean Supreme People’s Assembly
26th July 1988