Commenting on this, Minju Joson Friday says:

This is an unreasonable decision gravely threatening the democratic national rights of Koreans in Japan and a serious politically-motivated provocation to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).

It is, at the same time, part of the base repressive moves of the Japanese authorities to defile the future of Koreans in Japan and incite the anti-Chongryon sentiments throughout the Japanese society.

Lurking behind the persistent sordid moves of the Japanese authorities and right-wing reactionaries against Chongryon is their sinister design to stifle the democratic national education of Koreans and suppress and stamp out Chongryon, a dignified overseas citizens organization of the DPRK, pursuant to the U.S. hostile policy towards it.

Koreans in Japan are just like our brothers and sisters and members of the great family in the socialist homeland.

The DPRK will never tolerate the political suppression and vicious persecution by the Japanese reactionaries against Chongryon and Koreans in Japan but resolutely counter them.

The Japanese authorities should retract the decision at once, aware of the fact that their persecution and suppression of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan would only harden the will of the service personnel and people of the DPRK to retaliate against them and they will have to pay dearly for those actions.