Japan’s Abduction Issue Entirely Resolved: N. Korea Paper

June 29, 2018

Seoul- North Korea's main newspaper said Friday that the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the country decades ago has been entirely resolved.

The abduction issue was entirely resolved when then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang and the two countries announced the historic Pyongyang Declaration in 2002, the ruling Worker's Party's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary.

People are stunned to learn that the current Japanese leader, who had until recently described dialogue for dialogue's sake as pointless, suddenly started seeking a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the paper said of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japan is trying to avert reparation for the past crimes committed against Korean people by bringing up the abduction issue, the paper said.

To improve its bilateral relations with North Korea, Japan must apologize and make reparation for the crimes and build and develop new relations that should be in line with the benefits of citizens in both countries and the requirements of the times, the paper said.

Nothing should be expected before the past is settled, the paper said. Jiji Press