N. Korea denounces Japan over recent raid into pro-Pyongyang offices

SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea accused Japan Saturday of trying to raise diplomatic tensions and "suffocate" overseas pro-Pyongyang groups by mounting a politically motivated probe into their financial affairs.
Japanese authorities arrested a former ranking official of the General
Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, this week on charges of
creating tax reports without a license.
Investigators also raided several offices of the pro-North organization in Tokyo
starting in October, looking into allegations of wide-ranging financial
irregularities.
In its English report monitored here on Saturday, the Korean Central News Agency
denounced the probe an "unpardonable politically motivated crackdown," saying
Japan has "stretched the tentacles of suppression."
The commentary by the official news agency came along with a separate Korean
report in which the Minju Chosun, a paper run by the North's Cabinet, was quoted
as saying Tokyo has conducted the raids to pressure Pyongyang over the issue of
Japanese abductees.
Relations between the two countries have been at their lowest levels as North
Korea continues to deny Japan's claim that Pyongyang has yet to return all of the
Japanese nationals its agents kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s.
The abductions of Japanese citizens is one of the thorniest issues hampering
progress in their ties, despite recent breakthroughs in multinational efforts
aimed at denuclearizing the North.
"We will not stand by idly against the political suppression on Chongryon," the
paper was quoted as saying.
Chongryon was founded in 1955 and has since largely acted on behalf of North
Korea in Japan. The two nations have no diplomatic relations.
Last year, Japanese officials raided several houses of pro-Pyongyang residents
after allegations arose that a woman in her seventies tried to illegally ship
medical supplies to North Korea.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)