Explosion of Ukishima-maru Disclosing Viciousness of Japanese Imperialists

Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Among the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists against the Korean people in the past is the explosion of Ukishima-maru in which the DPRK people are grinding their teeth with surging indignation.
The explosion of Ukishima-maru in the waters off Maizuru, Japan on August 24, 1945 was an unprecedented massacre of Koreans committed according to the scenario of the Japanese imperialists from A to Z.
At that time, the Japanese imperialists let a large number of Koreans on their way back to the country with the joy of liberation to embark on Ukishima-maru with the intention of revenging their defeat by killing more Koreans.
The Japanese naval transport ship Ukishima-maru left Ominato Port in Aomori Prefecture on August 22, 1945 and sailed to the south along the western coast of Japan. It suddenly turned the helm to the port of Maizuru, the naval port in northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, on the pretext of filling up water on August 24. 
That afternoon, loud explosive sounds were heard several times and the ship was sunk, broken in two, in the water some 300 meters off from the coast of Maizuru Port.
Thousands of Koreans, who had been looking forward to the day of their return to their dear homeland, having a happy dream of living well in their liberated homeland, were buried in the sea at once.
After the incident, the Japanese reactionaries claimed that the ship was sunk by a mine, but it was a sophism to conceal their crimes.
The whole course from the departure of Ukishima-maru till the explosion in the waters off Maizuru, testimonies of the survivors and all the evidence unearthed clearly prove that the ship was sunk by the planned and deliberate manipulation of the Japanese imperialists.
However, the Japanese reactionaries have not made any apology and reparation for the hideous crimes against humanity committed by them, including the explosion of Ukishima-maru, even though 80 years have passed since their defeat. On the contrary, they have committed hostile acts against the DPRK more openly.
The DPRK people still remember all the bloody crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past, and will make them pay a thousand-fold price. -0-