Kim Chil Song, chairman of the United Confederation of Koreans in Russia, in the statement on March 31 said that the Japanese authorities searched the houses of the chairman and a vice-chairman of the Chongryon Central Standing Committee for the first time in the history of Chongryon.

He went on:

The Japanese police authorities' illegal search was an intolerable provocation and grave infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK.

Ri Chae Son, vice-chairperson of the Central Association of Korean Nationals in Russia, in a statement on March 30 said:

All Koreans in Russia are greatly angered by the action of the Japanese authorities and are strongly urging them to immediately apologize to the DPRK and Chongryon for it.

Through the recent action the Japanese authorities sought to tarnish the image of Chongryon.

The statement urged the Japanese authorities to immediately apologize for their suppression of Chongryon and severely punish those responsible for it.