Willem Alexander, king of the Netherlands, recently visited Indonesia.
A remarkable thing is that the king and his wife laid a wreath at a cemetery of heroes.
Buried in the cemetery are the remains of Indonesians who fell due to the extreme outrage the Netherlands committed in the period of 1945-1949 Indonesian war of independence.
The king, in a press conference held at the Indonesian presidential palace, made an apology for the wrongdoings his country had perpetrated in Indonesia in the past, saying he came to take such an option with a mind of feeling guilty of the sufferings and pains the bereaved families of victims have been experiencing until today.
Though the queen mother of the Netherlands admitted the painful past on her visit to Indonesia in 1995, it is said that this is the first time for the country to make an official apology.
Germany, for example, officially admitted and apologized on several occasions for having inflicted a tremendous catastrophe on mankind. It enacted the federal compensation law and paid indemnities to victimized countries and individuals in a systemic manner, concluding it by 2010.
And it has carried on different undertakings on the principle of taking full responsibility for the past war crimes.
Italy also took measures to apologize and indemnify for the war crimes, followed by Austria and Hungary that toed the line of Nazi Germany.
Last year, the UK brought back the historical remains it had plundered in Ethiopia in the 19th century.
This notwithstanding, Japan is behaving quite contrary to them, although it inflicted untold misfortune and sufferings on the Korean and other Asian peoples in the past.
Brazen-facedly, however, it is praising the war criminals as “patriots” and “heroes” while describing its past history of aggression as a “liberation war”. And it is stubbornly trying to evade the redressing of past by depicting itself as a “victim”.
It is now working to fly the “flag of rising sun” symbolic of the war of aggression with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as a momentum, while posting on the website the map which marked Tok Islets, indisputable part of the Korean territory, as its dominion and the East Sea of Korea as the Sea of Japan.
Japan will never be able to get rid of the stigma as a defeated nation and war criminal state if it evades the settlement of its past crimes while denying the past.
More From Pyongyang Times
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
April 26, 2024
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
Kang Jin Song, an international affairs analyst of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on April 25 issued the following
April 26, 2024
Kang Jin Song, an international affairs analyst of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on April 25 issued the following
April 26 is World Intellectual Property Day.The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was established with the aim of en
April 26, 2024
April 26 is World Intellectual Property Day.The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was established with the aim of en
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
April 26, 2024
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
Senior Party and government officials visited the Korean Revolution Museum on April 24 on the occasion of the 92nd founding
April 26, 2024
Senior Party and government officials visited the Korean Revolution Museum on April 24 on the occasion of the 92nd founding
Streets of Pyongyang have been decorated with flowers this spring giving out fragrance. Among them are marigold, Viola tricolor,
April 26, 2024
Streets of Pyongyang have been decorated with flowers this spring giving out fragrance. Among them are marigold, Viola tricolor,
Making selfless and devoted efforts for the good of the people is the essence and foundation of the politics of the Workers’ Party
April 26, 2024
Making selfless and devoted efforts for the good of the people is the essence and foundation of the politics of the Workers’ Party
Officials and members of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK) held a pledge-making meeting at the Kuksabong
April 26, 2024
Officials and members of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK) held a pledge-making meeting at the Kuksabong
Workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea held an oath-taking meeting at the Central Hall of Workers
April 26, 2024
Workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea held an oath-taking meeting at the Central Hall of Workers
Premier Kim Tok Hun, who is also member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of
April 26, 2024
Premier Kim Tok Hun, who is also member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of
A delegation of the DPRK Ministry of External Economic Relations led by Minister Yun Jong Ho left Pyongyang by air on April 23 to
April 25, 2024
A delegation of the DPRK Ministry of External Economic Relations led by Minister Yun Jong Ho left Pyongyang by air on April 23 to
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned against the US military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
April 25, 2024
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned against the US military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
The DPRK health delegation led by Jong Mu Rim, minister of Public Health, returned home by air on April 23 after visiting Russia.
April 25, 2024
The DPRK health delegation led by Jong Mu Rim, minister of Public Health, returned home by air on April 23 after visiting Russia.
The anti-Japanese armed struggle was a revolutionary war to defeat Japanese imperialism and achieve the cause of Korea’s
April 25, 2024
The anti-Japanese armed struggle was a revolutionary war to defeat Japanese imperialism and achieve the cause of Korea’s
The first revolutionary armed forces in Korean history were founded on April 25 1932. In order to defend the dignity of the nation
April 25, 2024
The first revolutionary armed forces in Korean history were founded on April 25 1932. In order to defend the dignity of the nation
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, in an interview with the Warpa News Agency on April 20, condemned the US for its unreasonable
April 25, 2024
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, in an interview with the Warpa News Agency on April 20, condemned the US for its unreasonable
The idea of “The people are God” and devoted service for the good of the people are the foundation of all lines and policies of th
April 25, 2024
The idea of “The people are God” and devoted service for the good of the people are the foundation of all lines and policies of th
The participants in the second workshop of officials in the field of information work of the Workers' Party of Korea conducted
April 25, 2024
The participants in the second workshop of officials in the field of information work of the Workers' Party of Korea conducted
The Spring National Footwear Exhibition-2024 opened in Pyongyang under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Light Industry.
April 25, 2024
The Spring National Footwear Exhibition-2024 opened in Pyongyang under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Light Industry.
Sea Kumgang Gate is situated about 20 kilometres away from the county town of Kosong in Kangwon Province.The area abounds with fis
April 24, 2024
Sea Kumgang Gate is situated about 20 kilometres away from the county town of Kosong in Kangwon Province.The area abounds with fis
More Articles
