South Korea’s umbrella labor unions announced Monday that they are working to hold a football friendly between workers of the two Koreas in May, hoping the event would help promote inter-Korean peace and unity.

The South’s Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions said during a news conference in Seoul that they formed a task force to push for the friendly.

Two months ago, the unions proposed their North Korean counterpart, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, to hold the event on May Day next year, to which the North answered positively, they said.

Next year marks the 70th anniversary of Korean liberation from 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule and division of the Korean Peninsula, and the 15th year of the June 15 joint declaration signed during the first inter-Korean summit between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean unions added.

Workers of the two Koreas previously had two friendly matches in 1999 and 2007.

“The inter-Korean workers’ football matches for reunification held in 1999 and 2007 helped enhance the public awareness of peace and inter-Korean reunification and exchanges of workers,” the unions said in a statement read during the press conference.

“The new event will become a chance to improve inter-Korean relations, stimulate exchanges and cooperation in all walks of life (in the two Koreas), and raise the mood of reconciliation, unity and peace among Koreans.” (Yonhap)

Pyongyang, December 1 (KCNA) — The north and south committees for the promotion of the football match between workers in the north and the south for reunification issued a joint declaration on Monday in which they solemnly declared that they would open the football match at any cost in 2015, the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, the lapse of 70 years since its division and the 15th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration.
The declaration said that all workers in the north and the south are now determined to put an end to distrust and confrontation in 2015, the significant year, and usher in the second June 15 era of reunification in which the atmosphere of reconciliation, unity, peace and reunification will run high.
It went on:
Firstly, we will take the lead in the struggle for opening the gate of contact, visit and meeting for reunification, holding aloft the banner of the north-south joint declarations.
Workers in the north and the south will surely hold an event for reunification despite any obstacles and difficulties in 2015.
This event will serve as the start of national reconciliation, peace and movement for reunification in the coming year. The event of workers in the north and the south for reunification on May Day, 2015 will also serve as the starting-point in making the meeting for reunification to mark the 70th anniversary of the country’s liberation and the 15th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration a great festival venue of the whole nation for reunification.
Secondly, workers in the north and the south will again play the role of the eldest son for achieving reunification and a model in solidarity and practice.
We will carry on all practices and actions for successfully holding the football match for reunification by the concerted efforts of the workers in the north and the south, regarding today as a day of start full of faith and conviction.
We will put it into practice together with organizations and figures of all strata aspiring after successful football match for reunification and carry on ceaseless actions against all hurdles lying in the way of holding the match.
Thirdly, we ardently appeal to the people from all walks of life desirous of peace and reunification to positively support the holding of the football match and work hard for it.
There are no differing ideologies and isms in the movement for reunification. Peace is desired by all classes and strata.
The workers in the north and the south will achieve widespread solidarity and alliance with people of all social standings, irrespective of ideology, ism, political view and religious belief and thus achieve nationwide trend towards peace and reunification.
They will become the most powerful engine for significantly marking 2015 by their concerted efforts.
We are convinced once again that the football match will offer an important occasion for mending the north-south relations, reenergizing widespread exchange and cooperation between people of all strata and stirring up the atmosphere of national reconciliation, unity and peace.
Reunification has become an irresistible demand of history.
All workers in the north and the south declare that they will fulfill their responsibility and role by working hard for reunification.