KCNA Commentary Urges Japan to Ponder over Its Position

Pyongyang, June 19 (KCNA) -- Japan is still crying out for "international pressure" on the DPRK.

Such voices are heard from among its ruling quarters that there is no change in Japan's stance to continue putting pressure and each country should keep step with it.

Indeed, disgusting is the behavior of Japan persisting in its one-sided policy for pressure utterly contrary to the situation prevailing on the Korean Peninsula and the international trend.

Shortly ago, China's Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post in a commentary said that Japan's hard-line stand is prompted by its self-fear and egoism and it only throws hurdles in the way of progress for agreed points among countries concerned.

As commented by foreign media, Japan's insistence on the "international pressure" is no more than the last-ditch effort to hide its miserable position of being sidelined from the trend of the regional situation.

It is the real intention of cunning Japan to draw water to its mill by escalating the tension on the Korean peninsula.

From the beginning of the year, Japan, displeased with the trend of the regional situation that entered a phase of reconciliation and detente thanks to the DPRK's pro-active and peace-loving measures, worked hard to block it.

But, what was the result? The climate of peace and stability has settled in the Korean Peninsula and the region, which were on the verge of military conflicts a few months ago, and the decades-long hostile relations between the DPRK and the U.S. have dramatically changed as required by the developing era.

This goes to prove that it has become a trend to solve any problem in a realistic way through dialogue and negotiation.

Japan's insistence on pressure resulted in isolating itself. Japan has become a target of "sympathy" in the international political arena.

Does Japan insist on the "pressure", unaware of the trend of the times? It is not in such mood as to cling to a worn-out campaign for pressure on the DPRK.

South Korea's Yonhap News quoted an official of the Japan defense ministry as saying that Japan may be totally isolated, if it persists in the pressure line while prioritizing the settlement of the abduction issue, and it is needed to take a flexible stance in the policy toward north Korea.

Japanese newspapers, too, devote their pages to such articles as "Japan is much upset, anxious about isolation" and "Japanese government embarrassed".

Why is Japan only becoming a near yet distant country to the DPRK? Japan should ponder over it. -0-