South and North Korean delegations adopted a joint statement Thursday, a day before the end of the fifteenth inter-Korean ministerial meeting.

The full text of the twelve-point joint statement follows:

The 15th South and North Korean Ministerial Meeting took place from June 21st to 24th, 2005 in Seoul.

The two Koreas evaluated the progress in the past five years since the June 15th Joint Declaration was made. The joint declaration is based upon Korean nationalism. To realize peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula, South and North Korea have agreed to the following:

1. South and North Korea agreed to send delegations to the joint celebration of August 15th, the Korean Independence Day, in the south and to begin working level meetings for the celebration in July in Gaeseong.

2. Two Koreas agreed to take substantial steps to resolve the nuclear issue through dialogue as soon as atmosphere is right to realize the non-nuclear Korean peninsula.

3. South and North Kora agreed to begin a new round of separated family reunions in the Geumgang resort on August 26th and to start the construction of a permanent reunion center in Mt. Geumgang. The survey for the construction is to end in July. And, the sixth inter-Korean Red Cross summit will be held in August to discuss humanitarian issues including finding the missing during the Korean War.

4. Both sides agree to reunite separated families through the website on August 15th and to have a working level meeting for the on-line reunion on July tenth in Gaeseong.

5., South and North Korea confirmed the fundamental invalidity of the 1905 treaty through which Japan forcibly annexed Korea one hundred years ago. The two Koreas agreed to take practical measures to retake the stolen Bukgwandaecheopbi, a stone monument of the Chosun Dynasty from Japan.
Also, the two agreed to excavate the remains of Ahn Jung-geun, who died fighting for Korean independence.

6. South and North Korea agreed to hold the third inter-Korean military meeting of generals in Mt. Paekdu in North Korea. The date is to be set by military officials of each sides later.

7. In order to maintain peace in the West Sea, the two Koreas agreed to establish a working-level meeting under the joint economic cooperation commission. The meeting will convene in July to discuss and resolve maritime issues including establishing mutual fishery.

8. South and North Korea will seek agricultural cooperation by establishing and operating a inter-Korean agricultural cooperation commission led by deputy ministers under the inter-Korean ministerial meeting. The first agricultural meeting is to be held in mid July in Gaeseong.

9. South and North Korea agreed to allow North Korean civilian vessels to pass the Jeju straits and to discuss and resolve related issues.

10. South Korea agreed to provide humanitarian food aid to its brother, North Korea. Specific process will be discussed in the tenth South-North Korea economic cooperation talks.

11. South and North agreed to hold the tenth inter-Korean economic cooperation talks from July 9th to 12th in Seoul and to take measures to actively pursue economic cooperation.

12. Both sides agreed that the sixteenth inter-Korean ministerial meeting will be held from September 13th to 16th in Mount Paekdu and South Korea to host the seventeenth meeting in December.