NK denounces Japan for `distorted` history textbook

The North Korean Foreign Ministry urged the Japanese government Saturday to immediately stop distorting history in a comment on its controversial authorization of a history textbook for middle school students.

A ministry spokesman said in a statement, ``We severely condemn the Japanese authorities for their arrogant scheme to avoid issuing an apology for their past crimes and to indoctrinate the young generation with a distorted view of history.`` The statement was released by the Central North Korean Broadcasting Station and Radio Pyongyang.

He said, ``We cannot but doubt that Japanese authorities with such a view of history and way of thinking have real wolition to normalize North Korea-Japan relations.`` History can never be changed or disappear, even if it is distorted or covered up, he added.

Meanwhile, Radio Pyongyang said that Japan`s history distortion is runs counter to the justice and morality of the international community. Denying history is the way to ruin, it warned.

Ha Tae-Won scooop@donga.com