A spokesman for the Democratic Lawyers Association of Korea (DLAK) in a statement on Thursday vehemently denounced the Japanese reactionaries' brutal suppression of Chongryon officials as a hideous politically-motivated provocation against the DPRK and Chongryon, an illegal human rights abuse and fascist crackdown.

Lurking behind the recent action is a sinister intention of the Japanese reactionaries to stamp out Chongryon by branding it as an "illegal organization" and "criminal organization", incite anti-Chongryon, anti-DPRK atmosphere throughout the Japanese society and thus revive militarism and realize its wild ambition for reinvading Asia at any cost, the statement said, and went on:

Their fascist action is touching off bitterer anti-Japanese sentiments among the 70 million Koreans as it was another unpardonable act of adding to the unprecedented crimes perpetrated by the Japanese imperialists against the Koreans in the past.

The Japanese authorities should stop acting rashly, well aware of the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by their conspiratorial crackdown upon Chongryon, immediately set free the illegally arrested Chongryon officials and apologize to the Korean nation for the action.

The fair-minded lawyers of Japan and the international community should properly see through the ulterior aim sought by the Japanese authorities in their undemocratic and inhuman suppression of Chongryon and resolutely hold in check it.