At the same time, it sentenced even the seriously ailing secretary general of the above-said headquarters to a prison term on a groundless charge that he helped Ro visit Pyongyang.

A spokesman for the North Headquarters of Pomminryon said in a statement Monday in this regard:

The puppet court's infliction of heavy penalties upon the members of the South Headquarters at a trial is part of the south Korean authorities' fascist scenario to stamp out the pro-reunification patriotic headquarters by labeling it an "organization benefiting the enemy" and a height of the confrontation racket against the DPRK.

Ro's Pyongyang visit can never be a crime in the light of the elementary human ethics and morality and beautiful manners and customs of the Korean nation handed down through generations as it was a great righteous deed prompted by his single desire for national reconciliation, unity and reunification.

The statement bitterly condemned the suppression of Ro Su Hui and members of the South Headquarters of Pomminryon as an unpardonable insult to the desire of all fellow countrymen for national reconciliation, unity and reunification, fascist violence aimed to stamp out the pro-reunification patriotic forces in south Korea and moves to revive the "yusin" dictatorship.

Some days ago, the ruling "Saenuri Party's" gentry brought even the issue of instituting an evil law such as the "law on dissolving criminal organizations" at the "National Assembly", openly revealing its sinister intention to stamp out the pro-reunification patriotic forces in south Korea, the statement noted, and went on:

The reality goes to clearly prove that the desire of the south Korean people for independence, democracy and reunification can never come true unless the history of treachery characterized by submission to foreign forces, fascist suppression and confrontation with fellow countrymen is brought to an end and a new society is built in south Korea.

The puppet conservative ruling authorities are now working hard to bring under control the serious ruling crisis caused by the anti-"government" sentiment running high among people of various circles in south Korea by escalating the confrontation with the DPRK and reviving the fascist tyrannical rule. But this will only precipitate their disgraceful ruin.

The puppet group should immediately roll back the confrontation policy which brought the inter-Korean relations to a collapse and set free Ro and other pro-reunification patriots at once.