N.Korea slams Japanese PM over UNGA speech

Seoul, Sep 26 (IANS) A North Korean researcher on Sunday slammed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for his recent address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA), stressing Pyongyang would not associate with whoever his successor will be if Tokyo's "hostile policy" towards it continues.

Ri Byong-dok, a researcher at the Institute of Japan, made the remarks in a piece posted on the website of the North's Foreign Ministry, after Suga made the video message on Friday, stressing the Pyongyang's recent ballistic missile launches threatened peace in Japan, the region and the world, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"(Suga's speech) revealed again the true character of a hostile policy against the republic by misrepresenting the character and nature of the issue," Ri wrote.

"Going forward, we will never associate with any politician that would follow the hostile policy against North Korea of their predecessors, including (former Prime Minister Shinzo) Abe and Suga, whoever will become the next Prime Minister."

Suga earlier offered to resign as the Prime Minister, and the process of electing the new chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who will serve as the next premier, is expected to take place later this month.