NDC Policy Department Clarifies DPRK's Principled Stand on "May 24 Step"

Pyongyang, March 24 (KCNA) -- The south Korean authorities are kicking up a noisy racket against the DPRK over the Cheonan warship sinking case which has nothing to do with it.
    The warship sinking case and the "May 24 step" taken by them in its wake were a vivid manifestation of the anti-reunification acts as they were deliberately cooked up to nullify the historic June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.
    But the present authorities of south Korea are still spreading the cock-and bull- story that there should be a "change in attitude of the north" such as "admission", "apology", "expression of regret" over the Cheonan case if the "step" is to be lifted.
    They even absurdly call for putting the issue of lifting the "step" on the table.
    A spokesman for the Policy Department of the National Defence Commission (NDC) of the DPRK issued a statement Monday to clarify its principled stand on the "May 24 step" as follows:
    Firstly, we remain unchanged in our stand that the south has to immediately lift the ill-famed "step" which they cooked up under the absurd pretext of the Cheonan warship sinking case, not dragging on time. This is because the "step" is based on the fictitious story about the north's "involvement in the sinking".
    Lack of just ground will prove any step unreasonable.
    Secondly, the south should clearly understand that its sophism that "apology" and "expression of regret" have to precede the lifting of the "step" can never work.
    Should anyone demand the north "apologize" and attempt to table the "step", that will be regarded as an intolerable mockery of the DPRK and the declaration of stand-off with it.
    If the south Korean authorities truly wish for the improvement of the north-south relations, they should bear in mind that they have to move first to lift the "step".
    Thirdly, it is the invariable stand of the DPRK to immediately start reinvestigation for the scientific clarification of the truth behind the sinking that resulted in the ill-famed "step", if necessary, though belatedly.
    If the south Korean authorities truly stand for the settlement of the issue, they should take a bold decision of accepting all the proposals made by the DPRK for the settlement of the issue concerning the sinking.
    If they find it difficult to respond to the DPRK's proposals, they can just bring to Panmunjom or any other places agreed all materials and evidence related to the sinking to just let the DPRK expose roundly before the world the truth behind the case.
    The statement warned that the south Korean authorities should not forget even a moment that if they persist in their vociferous talk about the "May 24 step" by groundlessly linking the sinking case with the DPRK, they will be branded as the second Lee Myung Bak group of traitors and a group of those who are more dead than alive. -0-