The authorities prevented the joint declaration of women in the north and the south from being published to mark the 92nd anniversary of the March First Popular Uprising.

The statement charged that the Ministry of Unification refused the application for contact, submitted by the Council to announce the declaration carrying the will of the women in the south and the north, and disallowed even fax transmission.

We strongly protest against this anti-reunification behavior of the "government", it said.

The organization will lay bare the atrocities of the Japanese imperialists through north-south seminar of women for settlement of the "comfort women" issue, exhibition and other joint actions, the statement said, adding: It will also strive to the last to settle accounts with Japan over its past crimes in firm solidarity with all the women in the south and the north and overseas and those of conscience the world over.

Though the publication of the joint declaration came to failure owing to the "government's" obstruction, the Council made public a joint resolution in the name of 20 women's organizations of south Korea. Among them were the Women's Solidarity, the Women's Society for Achieving Peace and the Federation of Women's Organizations.

The resolution censured the Japanese government for distorting the history of aggression and war and seeking to revive militarism, far from reflecting on the unethical crimes such as plunder, massacres and rude violation of dignity and rights of many Korean women though nearly a century has passed since the March First Uprising.

It called upon the women to wage a stubborn struggle against Japan's distortion of history and revival of militarism and conduct more dynamic activities for peace and independent reunification under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration.