Current News Articles
(Note: Here we collect the articles which give us a thinking. We hope you should also read them and think over as we do. However, the views expressed in the articles are not necessarily the same as ours.)
KCNA Condemns Japan for Its Unpardonable Immoral Act
Pyongyang, January 4 (KCNA) -- The world is watching the DPRK wailing in bitter grief over the untimely demise of Kim Jong Il, the father of the nation, whom the Korean people believed as in Heaven.
Such condolences and mourning are something unprecedented in human history.
The mourning of the Korean people over the demise of the leader was truest and noblest; it was an eruption of the kindred feelings that can be seen between the father and his children.
So, even foreign journalists who kept track of the mourning events were moved to tears. They reported "it is natural for the north Koreans to lament over the demise of their leader as they regarded him as a man always close to them and not imagined their life without him."
Japan, however, behaved as an exception.
The Japanese reactionaries unhesitatingly committed evils baffling human imagination by hurting the feelings of the mourners who suffered the greatest loss.
No sooner had the important announcement been released than the secretary general of the New People's Party and other riff-raffs of Japan talked nonsense about the "collapse of system" and "abduction and nuclear issue". Conservative media let vicious elements hell-bent on the anti-DPRK smear campaign act as newscasters to release malignant reports falsifying facts.
This is a base and despicable act which can be done only by the morally depraved guys ignorant of elementary etiquette, and an unpardonable immoral act of exploiting the great loss to other nation for their political purpose.
The hostile attitude taken by Japan towards the misfortune of a neighbor only once again brought into bolder relief its disposition as a political dwarf.
Japan can never behave otherwise because of its political nature.
It has never acted in good faith as regards the Korean issue but made the situation more complicated, going against the trend of the times.
It is ridiculous, indeed, for the Japanese authorities to trumpet about "collapse of system," availing themselves of this opportunity.
Japan, which has eyed Korea for centuries, is now telling a cock-and-bull story. It seems that Japan is no more than a politically blind country as it does not know about the DPRK at all.
Japan has topped the world list of replacement of prime ministers, becoming the laughing stock of the world and not a day passes without unstable domestic politics. Hence, Japan will never understand the social system in the DPRK, most stable in the world.
The Korean people more keenly realized the greatness of Kim Jong Il after his demise and the DPRK's system has grown more solid than a rock.
Japan would be well advised to face up to the DPRK and act with discretion, though belatedly.
Rodong Sinmun/ By-election in S. Korea Termed Victory of Progressive Forces
Pyongyang, October 28 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun Friday carries its commentator's article as regards the by-election to local autonomous bodies that took place in south Korea on Wednesday.
The election results were the people's stern punishment of the ruling quarters who crudely violated independence and democracy, deteriorated the people's livelihood and pushed the inter-Korean relations to a catastrophe. It was a right option of the south Koreans desirous of new policy, new society, improvement of the north-south relations and reunification of Korea, the article says, and goes on:
The election was a serious showdown between democracy and fascism, between progressivism and conservatism, between civic and social forces and outdated political forces and between the new and the old.
The people of different strata including young people desirous of the new unanimously voted for the candidate from progressive forces, sympathizing with his slogan and political commitment for social change, thus leading him to a landslide victory.
The election was little different from a civil revolution that demonstrated the south Koreans' stamina.
The U.S. had been deeply involved in the election.
It intensified nexus with the puppet conservative ruling forces ahead of the election and openly supported the puppet conservative forces, saying the leftist camp's victory may jeopardize the "alliance".
The mayoral election could, therefore, be assessed as a shining victory of the patriotic forces for independent reunification over pro-U.S. sycophants and anti-reunification forces.
The election clearly showed once again the truth that no one should go against the desire of the public and the trend of the times and the people from all walks of life including the progressive forces for democratic reform can get what they want if they pool their efforts.
It also showed that deception, falsity, plot, intrigue and anti-DPRK confrontation policy do not work on south Koreans and people's judgment is correct and wise. It also demonstrated their wisdom and spirit.
The south Korean authorities and the "Grand National Party" had better draw a lesson from the results of the by-election including Seoul mayoral election and swim with the tide of the times.
All Koreans Called upon to Respect and Implement North-South Joint Declaration
Pyongyang, September 5 (KCNA) -- The bankruptcy of the north-south relations is attributable to the south Korean conservative authorities' confrontation policy. If they are to take the first step for improving those relations, they should make a fundamental switchover in their policy, to begin with. It is the only way for repairing the inter-Korean relations to respect and implement the historic June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration. Rodong Sinmun Monday observes this in a bylined article.
A lot of events and miracles unprecedented in the more than half century-long history of national division had taken place in the inter-Korean relations since the adoption of the June 15 joint declaration, the article notes, and goes on:
When the Koreans uphold the above-said declarations, the inter-Korean relations will develop into the relations based on the spirit of "By our nation itself" and those of reconciliation and cooperation both in name and reality.
When the north and the south respect and implement those declarations, they can certainly get united and work miracles once again. The above-said declarations provide a key to mending the strained inter-Korean relations.
For the south Korean authorities to respect the north-south declarations amounts to the first step in improving the inter-Korean relations. In order to improve these relations the south Korean authorities should make a switchover in their "policy towards the north" and thus show their willingness to respect and implement the declarations, first of all.
Now is the time for the south Korean authorities to officially clarify their will for respecting and implementing those declarations. They should, at the same time, halt such rash acts for escalating confrontation as persistent provocations, plot-hatching and smear campaign against compatriots.
Such acts are traitorous acts of further bedeviling the inter-Korean relations.
The above-said declarations should be respected and implemented as it is the only way for saving the inter-Korean relations from a total collapse.
U.S.-DPRK meeting raises hopes for six-party talks
by Ran Wei
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Talks between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have been described as constructive, raising hopes of a resumption of the six-party talks after more than two years.
After the two-day meeting in New York ended Friday, U.S. envoy for DPRK policy Stephen Bosworth reiterated the path was open to the DPRK to resume the talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, better relations with the United States, and greater regional stability if the DPRK demonstrated it was a "committed and constructive partner."
He said the United States "will consult closely with" South Korea and other partners in the six-party negotiations before deciding on the next step to resuming the talks.
DPRK First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said the two sides conducted "comprehensive" talks on issues of mutual interest, and the DPRK "would continue to have meetings with the United States."
The media have been reporting for a while that the DPRK could begin engaging South Korea and the United States in a bid to revive the six-party talks.
But the first concrete sign did not emerge until Friday last week, when South Korean chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac met his DPRK counterpart Ri Yong-ho in Bali, Indonesia, where the two sides agreed to work to resume the talks.
The development certainly created conditions for the DPRK's re-engagement with the United States, which has insisted the DPRK and South Korea first improve their ties.
As a result, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Sunday invited Kim to New York for talks on the potential resumption of the six-party talks.
Some analysts saw the first direct interaction between the United States and the DPRK in a long time as a "significant" step, raising hopes for the ultimate resumption of the talks.
However, on the other hand, the United States hasn't shown overoptimism on the issue.
At Friday's regular briefing, State Department spokesman Mark Toner didn't say whether the United States believed the DPRK had shown sufficient "seriousness," a requirement demanded by the U.S. side, or whether there would be more meetings in the future.
"We're going to consult with our partners, certainly South Korea and our other six-party talk partners. And I think we'll assess next steps, following these meetings," Toner said, echoing the message given by Bosworth.
Nevertheless, the optimism arising from Friday's "exploratory" meeting can establish at least some sort of mutual trust between the United States and the DPRK, which is key for any future serious talks.
It is widely agreed the resumption of the six-party talks is critical to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, which are of great significance for countries in the region.
Birthday of Chongryon Celebrated
Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- May 25, Juche 44 (1955) is the significant day when the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) came to being.
The glorious course covered by Chongryon, a dignified overseas citizens organization of the DPRK, is associated with the wise guidance and benevolent love of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.
When the movement of Koreans in Japan was at the crossroads of survival and ruin, the President advanced the Juche-oriented policy of making line switchover and formed Chongryon, saying that the Koreans in Japan should work for their homeland and nation and carry on the Korean revolution although they live in Japan. This is the greatest exploit he performed in the history of the movement of Koreans in Japan.
Kim Jong Il has protected the socialist country and Chongryon, legacy of the President, with his invincible Songun leadership and is wisely steering the movement of Koreans in Japan in the new century.
From the outset of its formation, Chongryon has established the well-regulated organizational and work systems with the immortal Juche idea as the steadfast guideline. It has also realized the unity of ranks in thinking and purpose, thus turning into a dignified and authoritative organization of overseas Koreans.
Though it is active in an alien land, Chongryon has organizations at all levels from the central body and branches and institutions of various fields, including education, culture, economy, science and technology and media to faithfully serve the compatriots as the homeland.
It has also strengthened the work to defend the democratic national rights and education of compatriots, regarding it as the part of lifeline for the movement of Koreans in Japan, and thus given steady continuity to the patriotic movement. This is the shining success made by Chongryon.
Chongryon and Koreans in Japan have played a big role in the patriotic cause of prosperity of the homeland and national reunification.
Chongryon is now working hard to bring a new heyday of the movement of Koreans in Japan by carrying forward the exploits and tradition performed by their first generation in the patriotic drive.
Anniversary of April 3 Popular Uprising Marked
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun Monday runs a bylined article on the lapse of 63 years since the April 3 Popular Uprising on Jeju Island to drive the aggressors out of south Korea, put an end to the pro-U.S. sycophantic traitorous rule and achieve national reunification.
The article says:
People of Jeju Island rose in the popular uprising against the U.S. colonial enslavement policy toward south Korea and its moves to split the Korean nation and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, fully displaying the indomitable fighting spirit and patriotism.
Though 63 years have passed since the uprising, the wishes of the south Korean people for independence and reunification have not come true.
The uprisers¡Ç spirit of resistance is still alive in south Korea.
The south Korean people are further intensifying their struggle to put an end to the occupation and domination by the U.S., the architect of the split of the Korean nation and the root cause of all its misfortunes and sufferings, and achieve the independent reunification of the country by the concerted efforts of the Koreans in the north and the south.
It is impossible to realize the desire of the south Korean people for new politics, new system and new life as long as the U.S. maintains its system for dominating south Korea. This is a bitter lesson drawn by them through the experience of their distress-torn life.
All the Koreans in the north, the south and overseas should wage a more dynamic struggle against the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad who deny the north-south declarations, hamstring the efforts to implement them and swim against the trend of the times for dialogue and peace.
The south Korean people are sure to emerge victorious in their patriotic cause to drive out the foreign forces and achieve national reunification by carrying forward the indomitable patriotic spirit of the participants in the uprising.
KCNA Commentary on Japan's Claim to Territory of Korea
Pyongyang, February 23 (KCNA) -- Japan is getting evermore pronounced in its imprudent scheme to grab Tok islets, territory pertaining to Korea from time immemorial.
Media of Japan are these days vying with each other to report that the number of citizens in Shimane Prefecture transferring their domicile to the islets is on the steady increase.
They assert that those citizens' transfer of domicile is a token of protest against the Japanese government which has not shown its positive stance toward "territorial dispute".
Lurking behind such actions is the Japanese reactionaries' crafty and insidious scheme to grab the islets at any cost by using the citizens as a shock brigade.
It is absurd to assert that the Japanese authorities have not taken an active hand in the issue of the islets so far.
Their active involvement is proven by the recent facts.
The Japanese authorities made public the "2010 defense white paper" stipulating that Tok islets belong to Japan. They also announced the "2010 diplomatic blue paper" which specifies Japan's "claim to Tok islets".
Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology officially adopted the "instruction manual" containing new high school curriculum guidelines, which states that the islets belong to Japan's territory. It also decided to write down Japan's "dominium over Tok islets" in all social subject textbooks for elementary schools since 2011.
Earlier, the geographical institute of Japan backed by the Ministry of National Land and Communications announced that Tok islets are marked in the same color as Japan's territory on all the maps issued in Japan, 200,000-300,000 a year.
On February 22 there was an event for commemorating "Day of Takeshima (Tok islets)" in Shimane Prefecture. Isn't this a good example to show the government's involvement?
Tok islets are an ancestral territory pertaining to Korea. This has already been proven by the historical data and geographical and legal grounds.
Such being the hard fact, Japan insists on its "claim to the islets" of no validity, attempting to make them an object of dispute.
The international community is astonished at the infamy of Japan which seeks to grab Tok islets through its citizens' transfer of domicile though it is arguing with surrounding countries over territorial issues.
In the last century Japan occupied Korea for over 40 years and imposed untold misfortune, sufferings and disasters upon the Koreans in this period. It can never be allowed to dream of staging a comeback to Korea, coveting its inviolable territory.
Japan must stop at once its reckless attempt to grab the islets.
How S. Korea's tough policy on North backfired By Mike Chinoy for CNN
Editor's Note: Mike Chinoy is a Senior Fellow at the U.S.-China Institute at the University of Southern California and the author of Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis. He has visited North Korea 14 times.
(CNN) -- For the past two years, according to U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, South Korean officials have tried to convince the United States that North Korea was wracked by unrest, with Kim Jong Il in failing health and his plan to transfer power to his son Kim Jong Un in jeopardy.
With the North on the ropes, the argument went, it was increasingly vulnerable -- and hanging tough could force Pyongyang to moderate its behavior or even trigger a collapse. This assessment appears to have been a key factor in South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's hard-line policy towards Pyongyang -- a policy endorsed by the Obama administration.
The problem is that, as 2011 arrives, the South Koreans have been wrong. Both anecdotal evidence and a look at North Korean behavior make clear that the regime is nowhere near collapse, that Kim Jong Il remains relatively healthy and apparently in control, that the succession seems to be going smoothly, and that the tough line from the U.S. and South Korea has done nothing to deter the North from expanding its nuclear capability or taking military action against the South.
The new South Korean policy toward the North took shape soon after Lee, who campaigned promising to end his predecessors' "Sunshine Policy" of engaging Pyongyang and vowing to get tough, became president in 2008. Predictably, North Korea responded to Lee's attempt to unilaterally rewrite the rules of the North-South game on Seoul's terms by scaling back inter-Korean contact, staging missile tests and ratcheting up its always bellicose rhetoric.
By early 2009 -- long before the North Korean attack on the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan or the shelling of Yeonpyeong island -- the U.S. Embassy in Seoul was reporting to Washington its "assessment that Lee's more conservative advisors and supporters see the current standoff as a genuine opportunity to push and further weaken the North, even if this might involve considerable brinkmanship." The cable also noted that Lee was "prepared to leave the inter-Korean relations frozen until the end of his term in office."
Seoul's confidence that the North was on its last legs, and that coercion and pressure would work, can be seen in cables documenting a series of meetings between South Korean and U.S. officials.
On April 23, 2009, for example, Col. Lee Sang-chul of the South Korean Defense Ministry's North Korea Policy Division, told U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens that there was "increasing economic disorder" in North Korea. An embassy cable noted Lee's assertion that "there was dissatisfaction among some elite groups in the DPRK," and that, in the wake of his August, 2008 stroke, Kim Jong Il had suffered "physical and psychological trauma."
In June 2009, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell met with South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In-taek. Hyun told Campbell that North Korea was "suffering from severe food shortage and devastating economic crisis," that Kim Jong Il's health was "weakening," and that the situation was "worse than the 1996/1997 crisis," when famine killed over a million people.
Under these circumstances, the Unification Minister contended, North Korea "could resist for a while, but not for a long time." Therefore, he argued, "the United States and South Korea must apply patience and pressure."
As 2010 began, Seoul continued to push this line. In a January 11 meeting with Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for human rights in North Korea, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan described an "increasingly chaotic" situation inside North Korea. Yu told King that the power succession from Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un was "not going smoothly," that a number of high-ranking North Korean officials had defected to the South, and the number of North Koreans fleeing to China was increasing.
A month later, South Korea's National Security Advisor, Kim Sung-hwan, told Campbell that "the situation inside North Korea appeared increasingly unstable." Kim claimed there were credible reports of unrest, and that South Korean intelligence had reported that "DPRK police recently found a bomb on a passenger train from Pyongyang to Beijing."
According to a February 22 cable, Vice Foreign Minister Chun Yung-woo told Ambassador Stephens that "the DPRK had already collapsed economically, and would collapse politically two to three years after the death of Kim Jong Il." Chun was quoted as saying that "sophisticated Chinese officials" were ready "to face the new reality that the DPRK had little value to China as a buffer state" and that "in the event of a North Korean collapse....the PRC would be comfortable with a reunified Korea controlled by Seoul and anchored to the United States."
While much of the initial controversy about this cable focused on whether Chun's comments accurately reflected Chinese thinking, the more relevant point is that, like so many other South Korean officials, he was seeking to convince the U.S. that a North Korean collapse was inevitable, that even China recognized this fact and could live with the consequences, and, therefore, the U.S. should continue to support Lee's tough stance towards Pyongyang.
And, so far, that has been the case. Indeed, the Obama administration's policy towards North Korea has been largely based on letting South Korea take the lead. With many in Washington having, as one U.S. official noted, "bought" the South Korean line, the U.S. has remained frozen in a confrontation with Pyongyang -- rebuffing repeated overtures from the North for dialogue, imposing preconditions which the North will likely refuse to meet before agreeing to return to the six-party talks, concentrating instead on strengthening the U.S.-South Korea alliance and tightening sanctions against Pyongyang.
Yet cables that recount meetings between Chinese and American officials paint a very different picture of North Korea. Soon after Seoul's Unification Minister depicted Kim Jong Il's health as "weakening," for example, China's State Councilor Dai Bingguo, who had just spent two hours with the North Korean leader, told Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg that Kim "appeared to be in reasonably good health," and have even admitted that he "still drank alcohol." In urging Washington to talk to Pyongyang, Dai also told Steinberg that "his impression of North Korea was that the domestic situation appeared stable and normal."
While "normal" in the North Korean context unquestionably means misery for many people, the evidence that economic hardship is leading to political breakdown is flimsy at best. Indeed, foreign aid workers based in Pyongyang, as well as recent American visitors, report no signs of political unrest.
Instead, Kim Jong Il has made two trips to China and secured strong Chinese support for his regime and the succession. A successful congress of the ruling Korean Workers Party in September introduced Kim Jong Un to the North Korean public and the world. This was followed by a massive rally in October to which scores of foreign journalists were invited -- and permitted, in an unprecedented move, to broadcast images of Kim Jong Il and his son live - something the regime would not have allowed if there were serious doubts about the elder Kim's health.
Meanwhile, with the sinking of the Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong island, the North made clear -- in its typically brutal way - that Seoul would pay a high price for its own hard line. And by unveiling a new uranium enrichment facility, Pyongyang demonstrated that, in the absence of negotiations with the U.S., it would continue to develop its nuclear capability.
Yet again, North Korea has been driving events on the Korean peninsula, -- and showing in the process that the collapse scenario is, for now, anyway, little more than wishful thinking.
Trend of Development of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes Irresistible
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- It has become an irresistible trend to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes worldwide, says Rodong Sinmun Tuesday in a signed article.
It goes on: In recent years economy has made rapid progress and the demand for energy increased day by day whereas fossil fuel resources are running out. This reality is further increasing the concern for energy worldwide.
Many countries are now stepping up the positive moves to decrease dependence on fossil fuel and make a wide use of alternative fuel.
It is an inviolable right for developing countries to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This right can never be a monopoly of a few countries. All the countries of the world should be allowed to exercise this right.
What matters is that some Western forces are applying such partial double standards as slapping pressure and sanctions against those countries which incur their displeasure over their nuclear activities for peaceful purposes. They are groundlessly pulling them up while conniving at and cooperating with those countries which are to their liking in their nuclear activities.
Some Western countries claim that those countries outside the NPT have no right to nuclear development for peaceful purposes but the reality is quite different from it.
The nuclear activities for peaceful purposes are the inviolable sovereign right of all members of the international community.
It entirely conforms to the international trend of development and use of nuclear energy for the DPRK to opt for the construction of its own light water reactor power station for the purpose of rounding off the structure of the Juche-based nuclear power industry. It also paves the way for meeting the ever-growing need for electricity in the DPRK.
The construction of light water reactor is brisk in the DPRK and a modern factory for uranium enrichment equipped with thousands of centrifuges is operating to supply fuel to them. The development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes to meet the need for electricity will be stepped up in the future.
KCNA Commentary Lashes at Vicious Moves of Japan against DPRK and Chongryon
Pyongyang, October 26 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries have become ever more undisguised in their moves to exclude Korean schools in Japan from the list of assistance for the senior high schools.
Yanagida, minister of Justice who doubles as minister in charge of Abduction Issue, when referring to the issue of the application of tuition-free program to the Korean schools which was handled at the budget committee of the House of Representatives on Oct. 13, took up cudgel against it, saying that the textbooks of the Korean schools have contents arousing concerns.
What should not be overlooked is that a politician at an official post expressed such stand at a time when the Japanese reactionaries adopted "resolution" in demand of the exclusion of the Korean schools from the list of assistance for the senior high schools, branding them as "ideology-oriented schools" and the "institutions for operations against Japan".
As already clarified, the issue of applying tuition-free program to the Korean schools is an issue of the stand and viewpoint on the overseas citizens of a sovereign country rather than a financial issue on whether allocating a petty amount of money or not and, furthermore, a serious political issue directly related to the attitude of the present Japanese authorities toward the DPRK.
It is so mean for the Japanese reactionaries to try to exclude only the Korean schools from the program.
It is by no means fortuitous that voices of concern that this is a dangerous precedent in violation of the international convention on human rights which calls for guaranteeing foreign students equal right to education are growing louder at home and abroad.
Voices calling for treating the children of foreigners who have the permanent residentship or lived long in Japan almost the same as Japanese children are heard even in the political circle of Japan.
The Japanese reactionaries have machinated to arrest and destroy the national education of the General Association of the Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and, furthermore, eliminate Chongryon by applying sanctions and pressure even on the Korean schools and students in Japan who pose no problem. This has once again rubbed salt into the wound of the Korean people who could not but lose the right to the national education under the colonial rule of the Japanese imperialists in the past.
The Korean students in Japan are the descendents of the Koreans who were forcibly taken to Japan by the Japanese imperialists in the past and the Korean schools are legitimate institutions for national education under operation with the approval of the Japanese government.
In the light of crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past and from the educational point of view, Japan is under legal and moral obligation to respect and guarantee the right of the Korean students in Japan to national education.
The Japanese reactionaries' rash act of excluding the Korean schools in Japan from the tuition-waiver program are part of vicious moves against the DPRK and Chongryon and an unpardonable inhuman act in wanton violation of major international law and norms including the United Nations Charter on respecting the human rights and fundamental freedom of all people.
The Japanese reactionaries should cogitate about the consequences to be entailed by the indiscreet political terrorism aimed at Chongryon and the hostile policy toward the DPRK and stop at once their mean political farce.
Joint Letter to All Political Parties of Japan
Pyongyang, August 27 (KCNA) -- The Korean Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Labor Party of south Korea Friday released a joint letter addressed to all political parties of Japan on the lapse of a century since the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" was fabricated by Japan to "legalize" its military occupation and colonial rule over Korea.
Japan has not made honest apology and reparation for the enforcement of the 40 odd year-long most barbarous colonial fascist repressive rule and the hideous crimes, including the issue of the "comfort women" for the Imperial Japanese Army, it committed after "legalizing" its military occupation of Korea through the fabrication of the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" and other treaties for aggression, the letter said, and went on:
The statement issued by the present Japanese prime minister on the lapse of a century since the fabrication of the said treaty is another mockery and an act of deceiving the Korean nation as it was a half apology which excluded the northern half of Korea, an apology little short of an empty talk devoid of full reparation and a hypocritical apology, as evidenced by Japan's ceaseless distortion of history, its "claim" to Tok Islets and allowance of the policy of national discrimination against Koreans in Japan.
The war criminal states of Europe are striving to make an honest apology and reparation for such past crimes as inflicting unspeakable misfortune and sufferings upon humankind during World War II. Japan, however, has behaved quite contrary to this. We are of the view that this shows the political and moral backwardness of Japan and runs counter to its interests and security.
We strongly urge all political parties of Japan to fulfill their due historic and moral responsibility and role in making an honest apology and full reparation for the thrice-cursed crimes committed by Japan against the Korean nation in the past and in developing the ties with its neighboring countries in a future-oriented manner in keeping with the requirements of the present times and the common desire of humankind for peace.
Doubts surface on North Korea's role in ship sinking
Some in South Korea dispute the official version of events: that a North Korean torpedo ripped apart the Cheonan.
By Barbara Demick and John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Seoul ? The way U.S. officials see it, there's little mystery behind the most notorious shipwreck in recent Korean history.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls the evidence "overwhelming" that the Cheonan, a South Korean warship that sank in March, was hit by a North Korean torpedo. Vice President Joe Biden has cited the South Korean-led panel investigating the sinking as a model of transparency.
But challenges to the official version of events are coming from an unlikely place: within South Korea.
Armed with dossiers of their own scientific studies and bolstered by conspiracy theories, critics dispute the findings announced May 20 by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, which pointed a finger at Pyongyang.
They also question why Lee made the announcement nearly two months after the ship's sinking, on the very day campaigning opened for fiercely contested local elections. Many accuse the conservative leader of using the deaths of 46 sailors to stir up anti-communist sentiment and sway the vote.
The critics, mostly but not all from the opposition, say it is unlikely that the impoverished North Korean regime could have pulled off a perfectly executed hit against a superior military power, sneaking a submarine into the area and slipping away without detection. They also wonder whether the evidence of a torpedo attack was misinterpreted, or even fabricated.
"I couldn't find the slightest sign of an explosion," said Shin Sang-chul, a former shipbuilding executive-turned-investigative journalist. "The sailors drowned to death. Their bodies were clean. We didn't even find dead fish in the sea."
Shin, who was appointed to the joint investigative panel by the opposition Democratic Party, inspected the damaged ship with other experts April 30. He was removed from the panel shortly afterward, he says, because he had voiced a contrary opinion: that the Cheonan hit ground in the shallow water off the Korean peninsula and then damaged its hull trying to get off a reef.
"It was the equivalent of a simple traffic accident at sea," Shin said.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that Shin was removed because of "limited expertise, a lack of objectivity and scientific logic," and that he was "intentionally creating public mistrust" in the investigation.
The doubts about the Cheonan have embarrassed the United States, which will begin joint military exercises Sunday in a show of unity against North Korean aggression. On Friday, an angry North Korea warned that "there will be a physical response" to the maneuvers.
Two South Korean-born U.S. academics have joined the chorus of skepticism, holding a news conference this month in Tokyo to voice their suspicions about the "smoking gun:" a piece of torpedo propeller with a handwritten mark in blue ink reading "No. 1" in Korean.
"You could put that mark on an iPhone and claim it was manufactured in North Korea," scoffed one of the academics, Seunghun Lee, a professor of physics at the University of Virginia.
Lee called the discovery of the propeller fragment five days before the government's news conference suspicious. The salvaged part had more corrosion than would have been expected after just 50 days in the water, yet the blue writing was surprisingly clear, he said.
"The government is lying when they said this was found underwater. I think this is something that was pulled out of a warehouse of old materials to show to the press," Lee said.
South Korean politicians say they've been left in the dark about the investigation.
"We asked for very basic information: interviews with surviving sailors, communication records, the reason the ship was out there," said Choi Moon-soon, an assemblyman with the Democratic Party.
The legislature also has not been allowed to see the full report by the investigative committee, only a five-page synopsis.
"I don't know why they haven't released the report. They are trying to cover up small inconsistencies, and that has cost them credibility," said Kim Chul-woo, a former Defense Ministry official who is now an analyst with the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, a government think tank.
A military oversight body, the Board of Inspection and Audit, has accused senior naval officers of lying and concealing information.
"Military officers deliberately left out or distorted key information in their report to senior officials and the public because they wanted to avoid being held to account for being unprepared," an official of the inspection board was quoted as telling the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo.
The Cheonan, a 1,200-ton corvette, sank the night of March 26 about 12 miles off North Korea. The first report issued by Yonhap, the official South Korean news agency, said the ship had been struck by a torpedo, but soon afterward the story changed to say the ship sank after being grounded on a reef.
The military repeated that version for days. The audit board found that sailors on a nearby vessel, the Sokcho, who fired off 35 shots with a 76-millimeter cannon around the time of the sinking, were instructed to say they'd been shooting at a flock of birds, even though at first they had said they'd seen a suspected submarine on radar.
On April 2, as Defense Minister Kim Tae-young was testifying before the National Assembly, a cameraman shooting over his right shoulder managed to capture an image of a handwritten note from the president's office instructing him not to talk about North Korean submarines.
Such inconsistencies and reversals have fueled the suspicions of government critics. U.S. officials, however, say the panel's conclusion is irrefutable.
Rear Adm. Thomas J. Eccles, the senior U.S. representative on the panel, said investigators considered all possibilities: a grounding, an internal explosion, a collision with a mine. But they quickly concluded that the boat was sunk by a bubble-jet torpedo, which exploded underneath the vessel and didn't leave the usual signs of an explosion, he said.
"The pattern of damage was exactly aligned with that kind of weapon," Eccles said in a telephone interview. "Torpedoes these days are designed to drive underneath the target and explode. They use the energy of their explosion to make a bubble that expands and contracts. It is designed to break the back of the ship."
Pyongyang, meanwhile, denies involvement in the sinking and calls the accusation against it a fabrication.
South Koreans themselves appear to be confused: Polls show that more than 20% of the public doesn't believe North Korea sank the Cheonan.
Wi Sung-lac, South Korea's top envoy for North Korean affairs, says the criticism from within has made it difficult to get China and Russia on board to punish Pyongyang for the attack.
"They say, 'But even in your own country, many people don't believe the result,' " Wi said.
FM Spokesman on US Describing "Cheonan" Case as "Violation of AA"
Pyongyang, July 6 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA on July 6 as regards the fact that the U.S. is describing the "Cheonan" incident as an "act of violating the Korean Armistice Agreement:
The U.S. has placed the south Korean authorities at the head in its persistent demand that the "Cheonan" incident be discussed at the "Military Armistice Commission", alleging that this incident constitutes the "violation of the Korean Armistice Agreement."
It is a historical fact known to the world that the Korean Armistice Agreement, from the moment of its signature, became subject to a systematic violation and abrogation by the U.S.
The U.S. systematically abrogated essential elements of the Korean Armistice Agreement; It violated Paragraph 60 of the Armistice Agreement stipulating that a political conference of a higher level be held to settle through negotiation the questions of the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea and the peaceful settlement of the Korean question. It also went on to violate Paragraph 13 of the AA banning the introduction of equipment for military operation from outside of Korea.
In 1991, the U.S. had made a unilateral decision of designating a puppet army "general" of south Korea, which is neither party to the armistice agreement nor a member of the "United Nations Command", as the senior member of the "UNC" side to the "MAC" and eluded its responsibility from that seat, thus completely paralyzing the MAC.
The U.S. had already destroyed by itself the Armistice Agreement and its mechanism. It does not stand to reason that the US is now trying to take them into the "Cheonan" incident.
Herein lies an ulterior aim sought by the U.S.
As time goes by, growing suspicion about the "results of investigation" announced by the south Korean authorities continues to spread across the world whereas the international community is expressing greater sympathy with our proposal to send an inspection team.
Being cornered, the U.S. and south Korean puppet authorities are playing cheap tricks with the issue of consultation forum in an attempt to block the involvement of our inspection team and blur the truth behind their fabricated plot.
The U.S. wanted to take the advantage of the fact that we do not recognize the "MAC" and came up with the idea of "discussion at the MAC"; however, it is a miscalculation.
The U.S. argues that the incident can be discussed at the "MAC" because there is a "precedent of DPRK-U.S. general-level talks" dealing with violations of the Armistice Agreement.
However, the truth behind the "Cheonan incident" has not been unveiled yet; hence, as of this moment, we cannot even talk about the violation of the Armistice Agreement.
We have already clarified our position as regards this matter; an inspection team of the National Defence Commission must be sent to uncover the truth of the incident; working-level contacts for north-south high-level military talks must be made to this end.
The United Nations Security Council should abide by the principle of objectivity and impartiality so as to distinguish truth from falsehood and take heed of our proposal aimed at giving priority to the work of getting to the bottom of the incident.
KCNA on Hatoyama's Miserable Fate
Pyongyang, June 3 (KCNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama resigned on Wednesday.
This was a stern judgment given by the Japanese people and history to him as he unhesitatingly betrayed the people's mindset and yielded to the U.S. to realize his political ambition.
As universally known, he emerged prime minister from the Democratic Party, putting an end to the long history of the Liberal Democratic Party's rule because he advocated "independence" in Japan's policy toward the U.S. and made an exceptional election promise to ensure that the U.S. forces base in Futenma is transferred to an area outside Okinawa Prefecture or outside the country as strongly demanded by the Japanese people including the inhabitants of the prefecture, in particular.
The Japanese people expected him to put his promise into a reality and the international community followed with interest his attitude in the subsequent period.
But Hatoyama betrayed them by reneging on his promise.
As the coalition regime of the Democratic Party showed the sign of stability at its initial stage, he began backing from his "hard-line policy toward the U.S.", making eyes at it.
Such tendency surfaced at the outset of the year as a cowardly behavior intended to stay in the premiership full time by clinging to the coattail of the U.S.
During the election and right after the assumption of his office, he made much fuss in a bid to create the impression that he was breaking with Washington, trumpeting about importance to East Asia based on the "idea of fraternity" and the like. But the public gradually began hearing from him remarks that the "Japan-U.S. alliance is an axis of the Japan security policy" and a spate of other outbursts identical to the pro-U.S. one-sided policy pursued in the period of the LDP's rule.
Such about-turn of Hatoyama hinted at the fact that the DPJ might find itself in a political crisis any time while dithering without its own principle just to please the U.S.
When the U.S. became vociferous about "threat from north Korea," citing the case of the warship "Cheonan," Hatoyama met the U.S. demand over its military base in Futenma as if he had been waiting for this to happen.
Various parts of Japan were swept by waves of demonstrations and rallies demanding the resignation of Hatoyama as he behaved against the people's mindset, yielding to the pressure of the U.S.
The Social-Democratic Party of Japan withdrew from the ruling coalition, and there increased the pressure from the opposition parties, forcing him to step down.
The political pitfall into which Hatoyama fell was, in fact, dug by the U.S. It made an utmost use of Hatoyama who posed a great threat to the U.S.-Japan alliance and the implementation of its Asia policy while asserting what he called "independence". But it compelled him to step down of his own accord in the end.
In the final analysis, he was shot by bullets fired by two sides for having behaved without political independence and creed.
Japan witnessed a frequent replacement of its prime ministers and its political situation was hardly rid of a whirlwind of ceaseless unrest in recent years. This is closely linked with the hostile policy pursued by the Japanese authorities toward the DPRK.
Those prime ministers of Japan including Abe and Aso were compelled without exception to leave their offices before the end of their tenure as they were frantic with the moves to stifle the DPRK and the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and with militarism in pursuance of the U.S. hostile policy toward it.
This is, by no means, fortuitous. It goes to prove that the hostile policies pursued by them were anachronistic ones going against the wishes of the Japanese people and the trend of history.
Nevertheless, Hatoyama, lost to all sense of decency, so zealously toed the U.S. policy that he volunteered to act a servant of the south Korean puppet regime, lackeys of the U.S.
After the outbreak of the case of "Cheonan" sinking he went the lengths of blustering that "Japan would take the lead in sponsoring a UN Security Council resolution" against the DPRK when requested by south Korea. This suffices to indicate that he had lost his qualification to remain a chief executive of the country.
Pro-U.S. attitude and flunkeyism to it are not the way for Japan to follow.
If one follows flunkeyism, one is bound to become an idiot and if a country takes to flunkeyism, it is bound to go to ruin.
Japan should not forget this truth of history.
US Changes Nuclear Posture -N. Korea and Iran still subject to preemptive attack
Cheong Wooksik, the Representative of Peace Network
The significant part that draws attention from the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which the Obama administration released on April 6th was that it will maintain the option of nuclear preemptive attacks on North Korea and Iran. The NPR declares that "The United States will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states that are party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and in compliance with their nuclear nonproliferation obligations."
According to this standard, North Korea, which has withdrawn from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and conducted two nuclear tests, and Iran, being paid attention to as one of the countries that violated NPT, remain as the targets of the US preemptive attacks. In other words, it is possible that the United States will take nuclear retaliation against these countries if they attack the US and the US allies or partners with conventional or biological and chemical weapons.
Labeling North Korea and Iran as 'outlier' in the interview with New York Times on April 5th, President Obama made it clear that North Korea and Iran in the current situation will be excluded from the "Negative Security Assurance". Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates came up with the NPR on the 6th and he also clarified the nuclear preemptive attacks stating that all options are on the table regarding these nations.
The Obama administration with the new nuclear strategy has an intention to warn North Korea and Iran with a serious red card in keeping nuclear preemptive attack, which is inherited from the Cold War era. It means to abandon nuclear development and comply with Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations, provided that they want to get out of the nuclear threat. Or else, they need to get prepared with "all options" including the nuclear preemptive attacks from the United States.
North Korea, no more expectations from Obama?
As far as the Obama's administration policy is concerned, intending to put both North Korea and Iran into the targets of preemptive attack, the upcoming North Korean nuclear issue is being one of the main concerns. North Korea claims that its nuclear weapons are "nuclear deterrence." In light of this, North Korea has a great possibility of claiming "nuclear deterrence" under the pretext of nuclear threat from the US. In this sense, North Korea is very likely to justify "nuclear deterrence" and highly criticize maintaining Obama's key option of preemptive attack. Also, proponents of nuclear armaments as well as military authorities in North Korea are likely to strengthen this position.
The most serious concern is that it is possible for North Korea to give up having expectations on the Obama administration. Having the regime change when President Obama took office, North Korea expected the improvement of the relations between the North and the US. However, Obama's hard-line policies made it difficult for North Korea to anticipate a better situation. Hard policies including the Obama administration's public remark on CON PLAN 5029* (concept plan or operation plan), US-South Korea joint military exercise "Key Resolve", referring North Korea's satellite launch back to UN Security Council, sustaining sanctions on North Korea, and refusing bilateral talks. Moreover, North Korea¡¯s distrust is expected to increase dramatically and even reach the top regarding the option of nuclear preemptive strike of the US.
This whole deteriorated situation is expected to weaken the possibility of the resumption of six-party talks since there was also an incident regarding the explosion of a South Korean Navy ship with an involvement disputed by North Korea. With the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) agreement with Russia and the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), the Obama administration believes to have a great diplomatic confidence in nuclear nonproliferation. Based on this, it is needless to say that North Korea and Iran are highly expected to get harsh criticism in the 'Nuclear Security Summit', which is scheduled to be held on April 12th and 13th in Washington, and NPT meeting in May at the United Nations in New York.
On the basis of this, Washington is moving towards the hard line policy with regards to North Korea and Iran. 'Tough and direct diplomacy' was one of Obama's commitments in Presidential election to resolve North Korea and Iran's nuclear issue. However, we can hardly expect his bold diplomatic strategy and instead he is focusing on pressures and sanctions. The change of Obama¡¯s action is believed to support strengthening NPT by showing a strong will towards the states that abandoned or violated this treaty.
Isn't this the violation of 9.19 Joint Statement?**
It is possible to say that Obama's nuclear preemptive strike threat towards North Korea violates the 2005 September Joint Statement. Since North Korea not only abandoned the NPT in 2003 but also declared possessing nuclear weapons in February 2005 and operated nuclear tests in May 2009, the United States excluded North Korea from the ¡®negative security assurance¡¯, which declares that the US will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.
The problem is that the US strategy can be seen as a violation of Joint Statement of the six party talks that requires North Korea to have "complete and thorough implementation". This Statement includes "The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with nuclear or conventional weapons". However, this Joint Statement has been agreed after North Korea's withdrawal from NPT and the declaration of possessing of nuclear weapons. Therefore, it can be said that the US administration's maintaining options for nuclear preemptive attack toward North Korea violates this part of the Joint Statement.
In this context, it could be argued that North Korea has to be carved out as an exception for the 'negative security assurance' since North Korea conducted nuclear weapons tests twice. However, if the US keeps the option of nuclear preemptive attack due to the North¡¯s nuclear tests, it will lead to a huge controversy over the US policy which does not acknowledge North Korea as a nation that possesses nuclear weapons.
It is known that the Obama administration has offered 'carrots' along with 'sticks' when it comes to preemptive attacks towards North Korea. The US implies that it will offer 'negative security assurance' only if North Korea lets go of nuclear weapons and returns to the NPT. This can be understood to be somewhat unfair. Both sides are under the 1953 Armistice situation where they are said to be assured security. But now that security is on condition of abandoning nuclear weapons first. From this point of view, there seems a strong probability that North Korea will intensify its nuclear arsenal, criticizing that there's not much difference in Obama's policy from Bush's.
Contrary to the global community's enthusiastic shout for the 'nuclear-free world', it is seriously being worried that there will be an outcry over increasing tension of 'nuclear confrontation' on the Korean peninsula.
----
* CONPLAN 5029 is the US-ROK Combined Forces Command plan in case of the collapse of North Korea.
** The September 19, 2005 Six-Party Talks agreement on denuclearizing of the Korean Peninsula included an end to US hostility to the DPRK
US Moves for Modernizing Nuclear Weapons Blasted
Pyongyang, March 29 (KCNA) -- The United States is set to spend two billion U.S. dollars for modernizing different type nuclear bombs including B-61 now in the process of serial production since 1968 after it was developed in 1963. It is also mulling spending 0.8 billion U.S. dollars for the research and development of new type cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons and channeling the bulk of its defense budget into improving B-52 and others, according to foreign press reports.
Rodong Sinmun Monday observes in a signed commentary in this regard:
The moves stepped up by the U.S. to modernize nuclear weapons at a time when the demands for nuclear disarmament are growing stronger worldwide are a blatant challenge to the desire of humankind for peace and a criminal act of seriously threatening global peace and security.
After dividing countries into a group of countries allowed to have access to nuclear weapons and that of countries not allowed to do so the U.S. asserts that international sanctions and pressure should be slapped against the second group, the commentary notes, and goes on:
Furthermore, the U.S. is shutting its eyes to the moves of its allies and followers for nuclear weaponization and patronize them, while encouraging them behind the scene.
This testifies to the hypocritical nature of the U.S. "initiative for denuclearizing the world".
The U.S. attitude of reneging on the initiative contrary to its commitment is a mockery of the worldwide efforts for nuclear disarmament and a challenge to peace. The above-said initiative only sounds nonsensical as it lacks any feasibility and effect. It will bring the U.S. to nowhere.
It would be well advised to stop the hide-and-seek intended to mislead public opinion by ballyhooing about the above-mentioned initiative.
Should the U.S. persistently rush headlong into a nuclear arms expansion and war of aggression, going against the trend of the times towards disarmament and peace and the demand of mankind, it will not escape international isolation and destruction, warns the commentary.
KCNA Denounces US-S. Korea Military Exercises
Pyongyang, March 2 (KCNA) -- The United States is going to stage together with the puppet army of south Korea large-scale joint military exercises codenamed Key Resolve and Foal Eagle from March 8.
They describe the exercises as "annual ones" and "defensive" in a bid to cover up the dangerous and grave nature of the war maneuvers but this is nothing but sheer sophism which can convince no one.
The projected joint military exercises are nuclear war exercises aimed at mounting a preemptive attack on the DPRK to all intents and purposes.
The military doctrine of the U.S. is one of war calling for a preemptive attack and the U.S. and south Korean puppet armed forces' scenario for a war against the DPRK is a scenario for a nuclear war based on the provision of "extended deterrent".
All their military exercises are pursuant to the above-said war doctrine and scenario.
As a matter of fact, the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle have so far been staged according to the "OPLAN 5027", a scenario for an all-out war to occupy the DPRK by a preemptive attack. Last year the U.S. and the south Korean authorities worked out even a document on the provision of the "extended deterrent" presupposing the use of nukes against the DPRK in contingency.
They do not conceal the fact that "equipment, capability and manpower" will be mobilized in the said joint military exercises to the fullest extent. This, needless to say, means the involvement of even the nuclear war forces in the war maneuvers.
What merits a more serious attention is that the U.S. is set to stage such nuclear war exercises at a time when the international community is growing more vocal than ever before calling for a settlement of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.
Obviously this is a deliberate attempt to disturb peace on the peninsula and torpedo the process for its denuclearization.
The U.S. has always stood in the way of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, pursuing only a war to stifle the DPRK, not seeking a solution to the issue on the basis of respect for sovereignty in relations with the latter.
It is open secret that the U.S. administration ruled by the Democratic Party attempted to provoke a war against the DPRK behind the curtain of denuclearization in the 1990s.
The U.S. is still increasing the nuclear threat through such nuclear war exercises as Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, driving the process for the denuclearization of the peninsula to a collapse.
The reality goes to prove that how urgent and crucial the conclusion of a peace treaty and the termination of the hostile relations are for finding a solution to the nuclear issue on the peninsula and how just the DPRK was when it took measures to have access to nuclear deterrent to cope with U.S. constant military threat.
The process for the denuclearization of the peninsula can never take even a step forward as long as the DPRK and the U.S. remain technically at a war and the latter's threat of a nuclear war against the DPRK remains.
Should the U.S. persist in its unrealistic moves to stifle the DPRK in disregard of its realistic proposal, this will only compel it to boost its nuclear deterrent and its delivery means.
DPRK Proposes Talks on Resumption of Tour
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee Thursday sent a notice to the "Ministry of Unification" of south Korea requesting it to hold a north-south working contact for the resumption of tour of Mt. Kumgang and the area of Kaesong.
It is very regrettable that tour of Mt. Kumgang and the area of Kaesong has been suspended for one and a half years, the notice said, proposing holding the north-south working contact for the resumption of tour at Mt. Kumgang Resort on Jan. 26 and 27.
DPRK Slams UN "Human Rights Resolution"
Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry Friday gave the following answer to the question put by KCNA as regards the "resolution on human rights situation" against the DPRK adopted at a meeting of the Third Committee of the 64th UN General Assembly:
The adoption of the said resolution is nothing but a trite political plot hatched by hostile forces against the DPRK every year.
It should never be overlooked that the U.S., playing a main role, instigated the EU, Japan and its other followers to fake up again a brigandish document defiling the system in the DPRK and infringing upon its sovereignty on the basis of all sorts of lies and fabrications.
The illegal and highhanded nature of the hostile action lies in that the "resolution" was railroaded through the meeting of the above-said committee despite the fact that a universal periodic review on the human rights situation in the DPRK is slated to be made at the UN Human Rights Council in coming December and majority member nations of the UN including the non-aligned countries are strongly opposed to the adoption of a country-specific resolution.
One should keep one's hands clean before pointing accusing fingers to others.
The U.S. is committing every day such human rights abuses as invading sovereign states under the pretext of "a war on terrorism" and brutally killing innocent civilians and other Western countries are plagued with all sorts of human rights abuses and social evils such as maltreatment of minorities and natives, racial discrimination, murder and prostitution. Are they entitled to dare take issue with other countries' human rights performance so shamelessly?
Japan has not yet redeemed hideous human rights abuses it perpetrated in Korea last century such as the massacre of more than a million Koreans, the forcible drafting of at least 8.4 million Korean workers and the act of forcing 200,000 Korean women into sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army. No matter how vociferous it wants to become it has no right whatsoever to say anything about human rights.
The DPRK categorically and totally rejects as it did in the past any "resolution" fabricated by the U.S. and its followers to do harm to the ideology and system in the DPRK chosen by its people as part of their interference in its internal affairs under the pretext of "championing human rights."
Human rights mean sovereign rights and the latter keeps every nation alive.
One cannot think of enjoying genuine human rights and their protection without being provided with a guarantee for national sovereignty. This is the truth proven by the present reality of international relations.
The UN Charter recognizes the right to self-determination, the right of choice and the principle of non-interference in other's internal affairs.
No country in the world has the right to force its own socio-political system upon other country and it can never do so.