Minju Joson Wednesday observes in a signed commentary in this regard:

Japan had hatched a plot to divide Korea long before the U.S. did it, according to foreign press reports.

Citing facts to prove the fact, the commentary goes on:

Even after World War II, Japan directly exercised an influence on the policy of the Soviet Union and the U.S. on keeping the Korean Peninsula divided. Japan played an active role in dividing Korea until the last moment of its defeat.

The Korean people regard it as a big misfortune to have brutal Japan as their neighbor.

Japan enforced its colonial rule over Korea for more than four decades and pursued a hostile policy towards the DPRK and perpetrated other crimes since World War II. It has committed too many crimes and done too huge damage to the Korean people to count. Japan can hardly redeem all those crimes even if it spends all its assets and sells the whole of its territory.

What matters is that Japan is seeking its way out in persistently stepping up its hostile policy towards the DPRK, evading its legal and moral responsibility to make reparation for the misfortune and pain and damage inflicted upon the Koreans. This would only lead Japan to self-destruction as it adds to those crimes.

Japan should admit all those crimes committed against the Koreans and make an apology and full reparation for them.