North Korea criticizes South over Japan ties

North Koreans hold cards to make an image depicting a worker and a farmer during a mass performance of “The Land of the People” at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

North Korea’s propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri denounced South Korea, Wednesday, for trying to improve relations with Japan as urged by the U.S. before the G20 summit of major economies.

In an article titled “An act of collaborating with Japan and obedience hurting the pride of Korean people,” citing the words of President Moon Jae-in, the National Assembly speaker and senior presidential officials who are working to improve relations with Japan, the website said, “The South Korean government is busy pleasing the Koreans’ archenemy, Japan, being pressured by the U.S., which wants the restoration of South Korea-Japan relations.”

Claiming there should be no reconciliation or improvement in relations before reaching a “smart” settlement with Japan, the website criticized the South for acting like the past authoritarian regime which signed a treaty with Tokyo in 1965 to establish basic diplomatic relations, which the North considers a de facto betrayal.

Citing the phrase, “The voice of the people is the voice of the sky,“ it added, “If the South will continue to compromise with Japan and stand against the people’s direction, it will face a fierce protest from the people. The South should take the situation seriously.”

The denunciation came two days before the G20 summit, which will be held in Osaka between Friday and Saturday, where leaders of key countries will have bilateral meetings.

Amid strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo over the wartime forced Korean labor issue, the South asked Japan to hold a bilateral summit on the sidelines of the G20 summit in a possible move to find a breakthrough with Japan, but didn’t get an answer from Tokyo. Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday announced there will be no planned summit between President Moon and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the international event. Earlier, the South offered to create a joint compensation fund to resolve the forced labor issue, but Japan rejected the proposal. Regarding the soured relations, Japanese reports said U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Moon to improve ties with Japan during their talks.

The North has been critical of Japan, especially the current Abe administration, claiming Tokyo is sabotaging the peace-building efforts on the Korean Peninsula while saying that inter-Korean issues should be resolved between the two Koreas first.

Claiming Japan is denying its past wrongdoings against humanity and trying to realize its old dream of achieving the concept of the greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere, Uriminzokkiri said, “It is Abe and his group to achieve the desire of invasion by educating innocent children, who should learn the truth, using distorted historical views and making them raiders.”