President-elect Donald Trump (L) has taken isolationist positions on trade in the course of his campaign. A pro-North Korean newspaper called those statements "reasonable" on Friday. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

SEOUL, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- A pro-Pyongyang newspaper praised Donald Trump for his sometimes isolationist rhetoric and his pledge to cancel trade deals as signs of "righteousness" and "common sense."

Japan-based Choson Sinbo published an article Friday comparing the two presidential candidates, Trump and his rival Hillary Clinton, pointing out in the course of his campaign the president-elect had been lambasted for "ridiculous" and "discriminatory" remarks.


"But the things he promised are important," the newspaper stated.

The article argued that the pledge means the United States should "no longer interfere with the affairs of other nations."

"[Trump] should prioritize dialogue, [the United States] should no longer play the police officer of the world. More than that, it must learn to solve the problems of its own country. [Trump] must solve the issue of decaying politics and an economy in a critical condition."

Trump's "pledge" to "no longer interfere" is a "sensible and righteous argument," the newspaper stated.

North Korea state media has also issued responses to recent developments in South Korea and Japanese security, slamming the military intelligence sharing deal known as Japan Korea GSOMIA on Thursday, South Korean news service Newsis reported.

On Friday, Pyongyang's Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun quoted the spokesman of North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, who said the deal is a "heinous anti-national criminal act that is trying to crush to death a unitary people by colluding with a sworn enemy."

Japan colonized Korea from 1910-45 and the intelligence sharing agreement was shelved in 2012 due to public opposition in South Korea.

According to a Gallup Korea survey conducted this week, 31 percent of South Koreans are in favor of the deal, while 59 percent said they do not want to strengthen military cooperation with Japan.