The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Sunday that Japan is not qualified to seek a permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for its insincere attitude toward past wartime crimes.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary the DPRK firmly opposed Japan's desire of snatching a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told the UN General Assembly last month that his country has the willingness and capability to play a major role in safeguarding the world peace and security, the commentary noted.

"His remarks can not work on anyone as they revealed Japan's attempt to cover up its past crimes and mislead an unbiased public opinion in a bid to attain a responsible seat of the UN," said the commentary.

Japan, still an "enemy state" as marked in the UN Charter, has been hell-bent on justifying the wartime crimes against the Korean and Asian peoples, the commentary accused.

The KCNA also urged the Japanese government to make an early liquidation of its past wartime crimes. "Only doing so is a just behavior of Japan to play its role as a UN member and a member of the international community."

Before obtaining a responsible seat of the United Nations, Japan should completely liquidate its past crimes and get trust from the Korean and Asian peoples, it added.

Source: Xinhua