By Lee Min-hyung
North Korea is stepping up its criticism of Japan for taking a lead role before the U.N. passed a landmark resolution on its alleged human rights violations, according to the North’s official mouthpiece newspaper Tuesday.
“If Japan keeps supporting the resolution with the United States, it will collapse and disappear into history,” the Rodong Sinmun said.
Last month, the North angrily reacted to the adoption of the resolution, and threatened to conduct a nuclear test.
The U.S. had been the main target of criticism, with the North calling Americans “cannibals” and “murderers” who enjoy slaughtering people.
But the latest criticism appears aimed primarily at the island nation.
“Japan has been our long-time foe and left deep resentment on Koreans (during the Japanese colonial era), brutally violating the human rights of our people,” the newspaper said.
Pyongyang’s recent bellicose rhetoric against the U.S. and Japan is widely seen as its response to international pressure on the regime.
On Nov. 18, the U.N. General Assembly’s Third Committee overwhelmingly passed the resolution, which calls for the North’s referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the regime’s violations of human rights.
The resolution has since prompted fierce opposition from the North.
Late last month, the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) also criticized Japan.
“Japan has jumped on the bandwagon and forced the resolution to be adopted by the U.N. committee,” KCNA reported. “The acts will only ruin the nation itself.”
KCNA denounced Japan as a “political novice,” and threatened to hand down merciless punishment on the nation.