Pyongyang, August 20 (KCNA) -- Minjok Tongsin, U.S.-resident Koreans' Internet newspaper, carried an article on August 15, 66 years after Korean liberation from the Japanese colonial rule.

The article says:

Today marks the 66th day of Korea's liberation from the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule. We enjoyed the joy of the liberation only for 23 days. Instead of the Sun Flag, the Stars and Strips fluttered in Seoul. Since then the Korean people have suffered misfortune caused by the country's division for 66 years.

In the true sense of the word, August 15 was not the day of liberation. The Korean nation has been harassed by other foreign forces' interference.

The southern part of the country still remains a colony of the United States. Even the right to command wartime operations is in the hand of the U.S. army.

August 15 events have been held at home and abroad in true and false ways.

Since the appearance of the present regime in south Korea, the August 15 events have lost their true meaning.

Ultra-rightist conservatives called for "eradication of pro-north forces" and "search and punishment of spies" at an event held on August 14 allegedly to mark the liberation anniversary.

The false events are characterized by no mention about national independence, peaceful reunification, great national unity, June 15 joint declaration and October 4 declaration but about "lost 10 years".

Democratic camps at home and abroad have refused to joint August 15 events sponsored by the south Korean conservatives, terming them false.

The patriotic-minded people's approach towards August 15 is different.

The Solidarity for Progress, preparatory committee for the People's Power of Reforming the World, the Democratic Labor Party and other civic organizations and political parties jointly sponsored an August 15 rally for independent reunification in Seoul on Monday. The rally demonstrated their strong will to thoroughly implement the declarations, achieve national reunification, overcoming any trials and difficulties.

With the 66th anniversary as an occasion, patriotic-minded compatriots at home and abroad, ardently desirous of an independent and peaceful reunification of the homeland, voiced their determination to get united, regardless of difference in ideology, thought, religious and political view and property, in order to accomplish the historic cause of reunification.

What all Koreans should do now is to attain great national unity and achieve the country's peaceful reunification.