PYONGYANG, Nov. 13 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday slammed Japan for its latest move to evade responsibility for the "comfort woman" crimes committed by the Imperial Army of Japan during World War II.

The United Nations Committee for Abolition of Racial Discrimination recently publicized the Japanese government's reply to the agency's recommendations for comprehensively solving the "comfort woman" issue, including appropriate reparations.

In its reply, the Japanese government said, "The issue had already been settled under the San Francisco Peace Treaty," adding that it is "difficult to make detailed verification from now," thus the government is unable to hold those responsible to account.

In reference to Tokyo's refusal to recognize its crime of conscription of "comfort woman" during WWII, DPRK's official daily Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary that Japan's crimes related to the sexual slavery are hideously against humanity and can never be pardoned.

It stressed that the San Francisco Peace Treaty is illegal and it is illogical for Japan to allege having settled the reparation issue under the pretext of the treaty.

Japan and the United States signed the San Francesco Peace Treaty in 1951 to formally end the war between the two countries, yet the treaty was rejected by China and DPRK, two major victim nations of Japanese war of aggression and occupation.

"The crimes related to the sexual slavery which Japan committed in the past are hideous crimes against humanity which can never be pardoned and, therefore, the issue has to be looked into with all clarity and those responsible must be dealt with by law," said the commentary.

It pointed out that the aim sought by Japan is not just to evade the shame as a war criminal state. "Its true aim is to bring back the imperial era and realize without fail the ambition of domination over Asia which it failed to do in the past," it said.

Historians believe that as many as 200,000 women, mostly from the Korean Peninsula as well as from China and Southeast Asian nations, were forced into sex enslavement for Japanese soldiers during the devastating war. However, those who deny history in Japan denigrate them as "paid prostitutes" or "willing volunteers."

PYONGYANG, Nov. 13 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday slammed Japan for its latest move to evade responsibility for the "comfort woman" crimes committed by the Imperial Army of Japan during World War II.

The United Nations Committee for Abolition of Racial Discrimination recently publicized the Japanese government's reply to the agency's recommendations for comprehensively solving the "comfort woman" issue, including appropriate reparations.

In its reply, the Japanese government said, "The issue had already been settled under the San Francisco Peace Treaty," adding that it is "difficult to make detailed verification from now," thus the government is unable to hold those responsible to account.

In reference to Tokyo's refusal to recognize its crime of conscription of "comfort woman" during WWII, DPRK's official daily Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary that Japan's crimes related to the sexual slavery are hideously against humanity and can never be pardoned.

It stressed that the San Francisco Peace Treaty is illegal and it is illogical for Japan to allege having settled the reparation issue under the pretext of the treaty.

Japan and the United States signed the San Francesco Peace Treaty in 1951 to formally end the war between the two countries, yet the treaty was rejected by China and DPRK, two major victim nations of Japanese war of aggression and occupation.

"The crimes related to the sexual slavery which Japan committed in the past are hideous crimes against humanity which can never be pardoned and, therefore, the issue has to be looked into with all clarity and those responsible must be dealt with by law," said the commentary.

It pointed out that the aim sought by Japan is not just to evade the shame as a war criminal state. "Its true aim is to bring back the imperial era and realize without fail the ambition of domination over Asia which it failed to do in the past," it said.

Historians believe that as many as 200,000 women, mostly from the Korean Peninsula as well as from China and Southeast Asian nations, were forced into sex enslavement for Japanese soldiers during the devastating war. However, those who deny history in Japan denigrate them as "paid prostitutes" or "willing volunteers."