/ Highlights
Press statement of Vice-Department Director of CC, WPK Kim Yo Jong
  Kim Yo Jong, Vice-Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following press statement on Monday:
  Last month, I gave my view on the fact that Japanese Prime Minister Kishida expressed his desire for DPRK-Japan summit talks at the Diet.
  Shortly ago, Kishida, through another channel, conveyed his intention to personally meet the President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as soon as possible.
  As already mentioned, what is important in opening a way out for the improved DPRK-Japan relations is for Japan to make its political decision in actuality.
  The history of the DPRK-Japan relations gives a lesson that it is impossible to improve the bilateral relations full of distrust and misunderstanding, only with an idea to set out on a summit meeting.
  If Japan is mulling interfering in the exercise of our sovereign right as now, being engrossed in the abduction issue that has no further settlement and way to know, the prime minister cannot but meet a criticism that his design is little short of a bid for popularity.
  What is clear is that when Japan infringes upon the sovereignty of the DPRK, doggedly standing hostile to it, the former will become a target of the latter, being regarded as its enemy, never a friend.
  If Japan truly wants to improve the bilateral relations and contribute to ensuring regional peace and stability as a close neighbor of the DPRK, it is necessary for it to make a political decision for strategic option conformed to its overall interests.
  The DPRK's strengthened self-defence capability will never be a threat to the security of Japan, if the latter respects the former's sovereignty and security interests in a fair and equal stand.
  The prime minister should be aware of our government's clear stand.
  He should not think that it is possible for him to meet our state leadership when he has wanted and decided or such request for summit can be accepted.