July 4th North–South Korea Joint Statement

The 7 · 4 South and North Korea Joint Statement, also known as the July 4th North-South Joint Communiqué, was signed on July 4, 1972, by South Korea and North Korea governments for the first time since the division of the Korean Peninsula. In 1972, following the instructions of Park Chung-hee, the director of Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) Lee Hu-rak was sent to North Korea and met with Kim Il-sung to establish three principles of unification: 1) independence, 2) peace and 3) nation-wide unity. It was enacted to promote international détente, declaration of the withdrawal of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and reduction of military arms competition. However, after the discussion on unification, the regime of both sides of the two Koreas was unable to proceed with the real action plan because of the instability of their political power in the country.[1] [2][3]