The statement continues: "Editors of the paper were so incompetent as to tarnish the reputation of the paper by themselves by producing the article like that.

"Media are obliged to lead the public in today's highly-civilized world where mental and cultural level of mankind is being displayed at the highest level. Brisbane Metro deserves criticism for what it has done."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

"There is a saying 'A straw may show which way the wind blows.' A single article may exhibit the level of the paper."

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The North Korean statement concludes that mX "will remain as a symbol of rogue paper for its misdeed to be cursed long in Olympic history".

"The infamy is the self-product of the naughty paper Brisbane Metro which dared challenge the spirit of Olympic, common desire and unanimous will of mankind."



mX headlined its front-page report today: ‘‘N. Korea launches missive (... that’s missive)’’ and said Pyongyang had gone ‘‘ballistic’’ over the newspaper’s medal tally.



In a statement, the editors of the newspaper — published in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane — said the tally was not meant to be offensive.



‘‘North Korea’s political leadership is no stranger to global critcism and it would be difficult for anyone to fail to see the comment was aimed directly at that record,’’ said Claire Sutherland, the editor of Melbourne mX, and counterparts Craig Herbert (Sydney) and Emma Chalmers (Brisbane).



‘‘The two teams were sitting in fourth and fifth spot respectively on the medal ladder and we thought it would be a humorous, but harmless way of differentiating between the two, and a reflection on how much of the western world views the two countries.’’