Rodong Sinmun Monday observes this in a signed commentary.

It goes on: This is nothing but a reckless action diametrically running counter to the basic spirit of the Red Cross the essence of which is humanitarianism. It is a treacherous and anti-reunification act as it is little short of rubbing salt in the wound of the Koreans undergoing the sufferings resulting from the division and pushing the crisis-ridden inter-Korean relations to uncontrollable catastrophe.

The Lee group put ill-famed confrontational maniacs at the posts of the minister of "Unification" and president of the "Institute for Unification Studies" in charge of the exchange and cooperation between the north and the south. This proves that their moves for confrontation with fellow countrymen are the carefully worked out deliberate and premeditated provocation. The nomination of Ryu as president of the Red Cross is an extension of such moves.

The action taken by the Lee group to let ultra-right conservatives steeped in the anti-DPRK confrontational concept to the marrow of their bones hold key posts at the institutions handling important issues of north-south relations in contravention of the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration proves that they have no willingness to improve the north-south relations and work for reunification.

The Lee group is a group of wicked anti-reunification elements as they are keen on distrust and confrontation between the north and the south while blocking the advance of the June 15 era of reunification and a cancer-like entity standing in the way of unity and reunification.

The south Korean rulers had better take the stand of serving the nation and behave themselves, cogitating about the serious consequences to be entailed by their anti-DPRK confrontational concept and moves.