On May 12 morning, the Japanese policemen under the joint investigation headquarters stormed the houses of the president and some officials of the Korean Speciality Sales Company, handcuffed them in the presence of their family members and made a forcible search.

In this regard, Mun Ho, director of the Ministry of Railways, told KCNA:

Japanese reactionaries' suppression of Chongryon is getting evermore undisguised. Chongryon is a dignified organization of overseas DPRK citizens.

The illegal arrest of them is aimed at tarnishing the image of Chongryon and, furthermore, defaming the DPRK.

It can be clearly evidenced by the fact that the police forcibly walked away Koreans, who have no connection with the case of contravention to "Foreign Currency Law" made by the Oriental Co. Ltd., while misleading public opinion as if Chongryon had involved in it.

Han Song Chol, a teacher of Kim Chaek University of Technology said:

The fascist outrage against Chongryon is a clear human rights abuse, national discrimination against Korean residents in Japan.

But a spokesperson of the Japanese prime minister's residence patronized such inhuman outrage committed by the police. This shows that the arrest was made at the connivance of the Japanese authorities and Japan, which styles itself "law-governed state", is nothing but a police state.

Jon Song Thae, a worker of the Pyongyang General Printing Plant, said:

What matters is that the arrest was made at a time when the 60th founding anniversary of Chyongryon is drawing nearer. Therefore, it is as clear as noonday that the Japanese authorities have sinister intention to throw a wet blanket over the celebrations to be held on the occasion by fanning up anti-Chongryon and anti-Korean feelings among the Japanese.

The Japanese authorities should immediately release Chongryon officials and punish those responsible for the suppression.