Five years have passed since the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and the south Korean Residents Association in Japan (Mindan) published the May 17 joint statement calling for joint efforts to achieve national reunification, expand the rights of Koreans in Japan and preserve the national identity, the article said, and continued:

The joint statement was warmly hailed by many compatriots of all social standings but has not yet been implemented due to the negative attitude of the Central Headquarters of Mindan.

It urged the Central Headquarters of Mindan to withdraw its stand, go back to the stand taken five years ago and opt for realizing concord of the Korean community in Japan.