PYONGYANG - Three leading newspapers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued a joint New Year editorial Saturday, stressing the country's will to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

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The DPRK is "consistent in its stand and will to achieve peace in Northeast Asia and the denuclearization of the whole of the Korean peninsula," said the editorial jointly issued by the newspapers Rodong Sinmun, Joson Inmingun and Chongnyon Jonwi.

The editorial said the confrontation between the North and South should be defused as early as possible and the DPRK would launch a more determined campaign to improve inter-Korean relations and reunify the country under the slogan "Let all Koreans in the North, South and abroad join efforts and bring a new phase of independent reunification."

It urged Republic of Korea (ROK) authorities to scrap the policy of confrontation and respect the June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration. It also called for "active efforts" to create an atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation between the North and South by placing their common interests above anything else.

As for domestic issues, the editorial said the DPRK would concentrate on developing the light industry to "bring about a decisive turn in the improvement of the people's standard of living and the building of a great, prosperous and powerful country."

The country would decisively solve the food problem by developing agriculture with increased investment, the editorial said. It would also further strengthen the military might of the Korean People's Army.

Every year the three newspapers jointly issue a New Year editorial on January 1 to outline the country's guideline for the whole year.