Posted April. 19, 2010 06:10,
North Korea denied yesterday involvement in the March 26 sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in its first official comment on the incident.
In a statement, a defense commentator at the North`s official Korean Central News Agency denounced Seoul for alleging Pyongyangs involvement, calling it a fabrication.
The statement said North Korea considers the incident as regrettable because the Cheonans missing and rescued crewmen were fellow countrymen who were forced to serve in the puppet military. Failing to probe the cause of the sinking of the ship, the puppet militarys warmongers, right-wing conservative politicians, and group of other traitors in South Korea are now foolishly seeking to link the accident to us at any cost."
The news agency is the Norths state-run media under the propaganda and agitation department of the ruling Workers Party, so the statement is considered Pyongyangs first official reaction to the incident.
The statement was also delivered through the Norths official media targeted for a domestic audience, informing the North Korean people of the incident for the first time.
Pyongyang in the past has denied involvement and blamed Seoul for fabricating blame soon after conducting terrorist attacks, including the 1983 bombing of the Aung San National Cemetery in Myanmar and the 1987 bombing of a Korean Air flight.