Minju Joson in a commentary on Friday says that it is none other than the south side who drove the north-south relations into the worst phase as today.

The south Korean authorities have kept acting as a puppet dealing with every problem arising in the north-south relations as intended by its master while persisting in their policy of depending on the outside forces, instead of taking an attitude of prioritizing the nation and cooperating with the compatriots, says the commentary, and goes on:

The prevailing situation is the natural consequence of the south side's own misdeeds. But those who spoiled the chance of fortune by themselves are meanly trying to shift the responsibility to us.

When we made public our crucial measures, nonsense like "deep regret and strong protest", "violation of the Panmunjom Declaration and unilateral scrapping of agreement" and "due responsibility" rang out from the south.

This is just like a guilty party filing the suit first. Question is whether it is a behavior fitting normal thinking.

As it seems that the south side spouts a string of absurd remarks in order to sound out our thought, we make it clear -- it is our stand to return just as much as we received from the south side.

As we have no words to say to the south side for its betrayal, we cut off all the inter-Korean communication lines and destroyed the north-south joint liaison office which lost its value due to the south side's escalation of confrontation with the compatriots in the north.

The south Korean authorities would be well advised to be prudent, aware of how heavy their crimes are.