This can not but be taken seriously as it is a revelation of Japan's policy of extreme national discrimination, its policy for destroying Chongryon based on bitterness toward the DPRK.

The measure taken by the Japanese government against the Korean schools is a wanton violation of the humanitarian principles and a grave politically-motivated provocation as it encroaches upon the dignity and interests of the DPRK.

As known, discrimination has been applied for years to Korean schools over the tuition-free program in Japan.

Korean schools are for descendents of Koreans who suffered from the forcible drafting committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past. They are legitimate national educational institutions run by Chongryon with the approval of the government.

They received children of Koreans in Japan for the purposes of helping children get national awareness and acquire qualifications required by a modern society and of bringing up talents who will contribute to the development of the international community including Japan. As is the case with all other foreign schools in Japan Korean schools have strictly abided by norms and regulations in the contents of teaching and operation.

Japan should fully ensure conditions and environment for education of Korean schools even in the sense of repenting of the crimes of aggression committed by it.

However, the Japanese reactionaries have inflicted financial burdens on Koreans in Japan in a bid to create psychological stress and, at the same time, worked hard to dampen national self-esteem and pride among Korean students in Japan who are at the stage where their outlook on the world is in the process of forming.

They seduced Korean children to go to Japanese schools, saying that they would get aid if they go to Japanese schools in a bid to take them from the fold of Chongryon and prevent the rising generation from learning Korean language and history and thus deprive Koreans in Japan of their national identity.

It was by no means fortuitous that at the recent meeting delegates of different countries strongly denounced Japan's measure as an expression of racial discrimination in the light of human rights. They questioned what is the reason for discriminating against Korean schools while rendering financial aid to all other schools similar to Korean schools and is it for the simple political reason that the Korean schools are associated with Pyongyang.

Chongryon can never be subject to suppression by the Japanese reactionaries and Korean children in Japan have the right to be schooled with the same treatment as the Japanese children.

Now underway between the DPRK and Japan are multi-faceted talks for the improvement of relations to meet the requirements of the times and the desire of the two peoples.

Now confidence-building is more urgent than ever to build the relations of friendship between the two countries. But the Japanese authorities have openly disclosed their intention to destroy Chongryon, a legitimate overseas Koreans' organization.

Japan would be well advised to face up to the trend of the times and ponder over the consequences to be entailed by its criminal acts against the Koreans.