Trouble for North Korea's Connection in Japan
Monday, June 18, 2007 Posted: 07:33 PM JST
Something extremely interesting is happening with Chongryon, the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan. Today, the Tokyo District Court ordered Chongryon to repay 62.7 billion yen as demanded to a governmental debt-collection body, and allowed seizure of the premises of the Chongryon headquarters in lieu of payment. Chongryon's Tokyo headquarters has functioned as the de facto North Korean "embassy" in Japan.
The Osaka District Court has also approved the start of bankruptcy procedures for a company that owns the land and the building that houses the Osaka head office of Chongryon.
To make things more intriguing, a former director-general of the Japanese Public Security Intelligence Agency "bought" Chongryon Tokyo headquarters. Even more confusing, he used his daughter to accomplish this. This "sale" was suddenly cancelled today after increasing pressure by the media and Tokyo prosecutors.
Chongryon is deeply in debt because of bad debts linked to Chongryon-affiliated Chogin credit unions.
The beginning of the end of Chongryon? And is it a coincidence that this is happening as Japan is becoming ever tougher on the North Korean regime?
Keywords: national_news
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