North Korean media over the weekend called for countries to “reject” material assistance from what it described as imperialistic countries, in a commentary carried by the Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK).

The commentary, written by Ri Hak Nam and published on Saturday, said aid and cooperation provided by “imperialists” were “entirely false and deceptive.”

“Having illusion about the imperialists leads to ruin is an iron truth and lesson taught by history,” the newspaper said, urging countries to “stick to independence.”

“[We] should reject the aid of the imperialists. The aid they clamor about while