N. Korea Raps Japan over 2002 Pyongyang Declaration

Seoul, Sept. 16 (Jiji Press)--A North Korean diplomat has condemned Japan in a statement released ahead of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Pyongyang Declaration, the Korean Central News Agency reported Friday.

Song Il Ho, North Korea's envoy for relations with Japan, said in the statement, dated Thursday, that Japan has nullified the declaration by imposing all sorts of hideous sanctions against North Korea.

Japan brought up again the already-resolved issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang decades ago and led its relationship with North Korea to the worst confrontation phase, the statement said, warning against Japan's demands for the early return of abductees.

Song claimed that the fundamental philosophy of the declaration was that the two countries build political, economic and cultural relations after Japan offers a sincere apology over its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula in the past and pay due compensation.

But Tokyo distorted the declaration and misused it for impure political purposes, claiming that it was for the resolution of the abduction, nuclear and missile issues, Song said. It was an act of betrayal of the declaration, Song said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]