Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- On August 24, 1945, the Japan-flagged ship Ukishima-maru carrying thousands of Koreans was blown up and sunk in the waters off Maizuru Port of Japan.

After hearing the news of the defeat of the Japanese imperialists, a large number of Koreans who were subject to medieval slave labor in Japan were so pleased that they were able to return their beloved home as Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945.

The Japanese reactionaries hatched a massacre plot in order to give vent to their anger at the defeat. So they persuaded or forced many Koreans to use the ship, saying that it is the only ship to sail to Korea.

At that time, ships of more than 100 tons were not allowed to sail in the territorial waters of Japan under the order of the Allied Forces, but the sailing of Ukishima-maru of over 4 000 tons was approved by the Japanese Ministry of Navy.

On August 22, 1945, the ship left Ominato Port with a small amount of fuel, sailed to the south along the western coast of Japan, and suddenly turned the helm near the port of Maizuru.

On Aug. 24, 1945, the Japanese on board fled by boat just before the explosion.

Soon, loud explosive sounds were heard several times and the ship was sunk, broken in two. And the Koreans were buried at sea.

After the incident occurred, the Japanese reactionaries made desperate efforts to cover up the truth behind the explosion of Ukishima-maru, terming it a "sinking accident caused by a mine".

But the Japanese reactionaries' assertion was clearly proved to be a sheer lie by the testimonies of the survivors and all the corroborative facts.

The explosion was not a mere sinking accident but a massacre committed according to the Japanese imperialists' premeditated and intentional manipulation.

This incident tells us how persistent and barbarous Japan's policy of exterminating the Korean nation was. -0-