Japanese Foreign Intelligence Police Reveal Details of 2006 Block on Mindan–Chongryon Merger
Published
A former senior Japanese security official has revealed the inside story of how Japan's foreign intelligence police blocked a 2006 attempt to merge Mindan (the Korean Residents Union in Japan) and Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan). Former National Security Bureau Director General Shigeru Kitamura disclosed the matter.
Mindan is an organization made up mainly of Korean residents in Japan who hold South Korean nationality, while Chongryon is an organization of Korean residents in Japan that supports North Korea. The two groups have long maintained different political positions. For this reason, discussions about merging them have drawn considerable attention within the Korean residents' community in Japan.
According to former Director General Kitamura's account, Japan's foreign intelligence police closely monitored the moves toward merger between the two groups and ultimately blocked them. Japanese authorities are reported to have judged that the merger could affect Japan's security and its relations with North Korea. However, the specific decision-making process and related materials have not yet been fully disclosed.
The announcement shows how organizational issues within the Korean residents' community are intertwined with Japan's diplomatic and security policies. Attention is now focused on whether more detailed information on the matter will be made public.
Sources: 조선일보
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