The statement accused Japanese Prime Minister Abe of asserting in a "statement" issued on February 12 in connection with the 3rd underground nuclear test of the DPRK that "Japan does not recognize the reentry of the vice-chairmen of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon into Japan for taking passage" for the DPRK" as part of "additional sanctions" against it.

The statement noted that the independent "sanctions" enforced by Japan up to this date against the DPRK since the Abe regime in 2006 included such unpardonable actions: A ban on the entry of all ships from the DPRK, a total ban on export and import with it, a ban on the entry of the persons with the DPRK's nationality and reentry of deputies to the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly including the chairman of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon and a total ban on the exchange of goods, taking out of money and financial transaction.

The statement vehemently slammed Abe for taking such unjust additional measures as disallowing the reentry of the vice-chairmen of Chongryon as part of the steps for stepping up the hostile policy towards the DPRK.

This measure is a dastardly suppression of even Chongryon, an organization for protecting the life and rights of the compatriots in Japan, and an extremely harsh human rights abuse, it said, and went on:

Over the past 58 years since its formation, Chongryon has played the role of a bridge linking the two countries to promote the bilateral friendship by directing efforts to the work for preserving the national character of the Koreans in Japan, protecting their life and human rights and realizing mutual help among them and their welfare on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs and observance of law in Japan.

The vice-chairmen of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon have creditably fulfilled their responsibilities in various fields such as activities to serve the compatriots.

The Japanese government's view that the Chongryon officials elected by Koreans in Japan are "in the position to substantially assist the authorities of north Korea in their activities as staff members" is totally contrary to the fact. It is nothing but a pretext for cracking down upon Chongryon as it is sophism misleading the public opinion.

Chongryon and all Koreans in Japan vehemently denounce the Japanese government for its unjust and high-handed action and strongly protest against it.

Intolerable is the behavior of Japan threatening the life of the Koreans in Japan and restricting the fair activities of Chongryon, a legitimate national organization of the compatriots in Japan, far from settling its past crimes and making reparation to the Koreans who were victims of Japan's colonial rule and forcibly taken away to Japan and their descendants.

Such additional "sanctions" will not only spark off denunciation and resistance of all Koreans in Japan and fair-minded Japanese people but seriously affect the efforts to improve the relations between the DPRK and Japan.

We strongly demand the Japanese government immediately lift its "sanctions" against the vice-chairmen of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon and drop all other unreasonable "sanctions" and, at the same time, ensure the human rights and life of the Koreans in Japan.