The minister of Unification said that south Korea demanded the north withdraw its measure because "it was unjust" and as the north did not accept the demand, south Korea decided the withdrawal of its personnel from the KIZ.

Even the chief of Chongwadae rattled the nerve of the north, saying that "now the agreement has ended in smoke overnight".

These are irrational insistences changing the cause and effect, Rodong Sinmun Saturday says in a bylined commentary.

It goes on:

The main cause of the extreme crisis of KIZ is the vicious anti-DPRK confrontation moves of the south Korean authorities.

They slandered to an uncontrollable extent the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK, partner of cooperation in KIZ and gravely threatened it with provocations for a nuclear war.

It was the just step of the DPRK that it withdrew its personnel from KIZ and temporarily closed it to cope with the vicious confrontation and war moves of south Korea.

Pyongyang made every effort for the stable development of KIZ even at a time when the north-south relations were in wartime situation, but the south Korean authorities ran amuck to do away with KIZ, a product of the June 15 joint declaration.

The work in the zone has faced a tragic end after its nearly 10-year operation amid turns and twists. The south Korean authorities are responsible for this.

The south Korean ruling quarters can never cover the crimes against reunification by which they drove KIZ into the state of misfortune as now. -0-