North Korean state media celebrated the country’s liberation from Japan this week by attacking Tokyo for its alleged anti-DPRK policy and slamming Seoul for seeking closer ties with its former colonial ruler.

State propaganda featured articles to mark Liberation Day that praised founding leader Kim Il Sung as the “great” hero who ended Japanese colonialism, while reporting on concerts and dances around the country on the holiday.

Meanwhile, after North Korea proclaimed “victory” over COVID-19 last week, state media showed people enjoying their everyday lives without wearing masks, even while warning that the pandemic