North Korea Criticizes Japan's 'Defense White Paper' as "The Main Culprit Threatening Neighboring Countries"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] North Korea has condemned the contents of Japan's Defense White Paper. The Japanese government described North Korea as a "serious and imminent threat" in the "2021 Defense White Paper."

On the 5th, North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted an article on its website authored by Min Kyung-mu, a researcher at the Japan Research Institute, claiming that it is "an expression of malicious intent to maximize the 'surrounding threats,' conceal the true identity as the main culprit destroying regional peace and security, and push for the manipulation of the war constitution and militarization."

It continued, "Japan annually publishes the 'Defense White Paper' to justify its aggressive military buildup, invariably specifying the 'surrounding threats,' but the undeniable reality is that Japan itself is the main culprit threatening neighboring countries," criticizing Japan.

Referring to Japan's past imperialist invasions, it pointed out, "It is utterly absurd for Japan, which inflicted immeasurable misfortune and suffering on our country (North Korea) and the peoples of Asia, to now talk about 'surrounding threats.'"

The Japanese Ministry of Defense, in the draft of this year's Defense White Paper to be reported to the Cabinet meeting next month, evaluated North Korea as a "serious and urgent threat to our country (Japan)'s security," as it did last year.