Chongryon

Ch'ongryŏn ( Kor. 총련 ,总 联), also Chosen Soren (Japanese朝鲜 総 连) called, is an organization for people living in Japan Koreans ( zainichi - Koreans ), which is close to North Korea. Its counterpart is the union Mindan, coupled with South Korea. The Ch'ongryŏn was founded by Han Tok -su ( 한덕수 ,韩德 铢) on 25 May 1955. Of the 610,000 Koreans in Japan about a third are close to the Ch'ongryŏn (1991 had about 244,000 members), two-thirds of Mindan.

Headquarters of the Ch'ongryŏn is Tokyo. There are in addition also regional offices in the Japanese prefectures. Furthermore, there's an associated youth organization called Choch'ŏng. The Ch'ongryŏn operates various media to spread North Korean propaganda, owned kindergartens, schools and banks and is active in the economy. 1992 ran the organization 83 elementary, 55 middle and 13 high schools, and college Chosen Daigakkō. The number of students was 19,000. She is represented by deputies in the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea.

The generated cash flowed mostly to North Korea in support of the local regime under Kim Jong-un. In 1995, the total assets of the organization were estimated at 200 billion U.S. dollars, equivalent to almost ten times the sum of the North Korean GNP. By 1990, the annual amount remitted to North Korea totaled about 750 million U.S. dollars. In addition, investments in joint ventures in North Korea by organizing related business.

The Ch'ongryŏn was repeatedly accused in the past to engage in espionage, drug smuggling and other illegal activities. A significant proportion of all unmasked in South Korea North Korean agents were from the ranks of the Ch'ongryŏn. On August 15, 1974 Koreans undertook with links to the organization to assassinate head of state of South Korea's military dictatorship, Park Chung - hee.

Since the second half of the 1970s, the organization suffers from a permanent loss of membership. During 1975, 290,000 zainichi Koreans belonged to the Ch'ongryŏn, there were 275,000 in 1985 and 1991 only 244,000. In the meantime, go to several financial scandals that brought the Ch'ongryŏn to the brink of insolvency, optimistic estimates of only 40,000 members from. The once small organization of South Koreans ( Mindan ), the number of its members, however, increased to 1991 to 371,000. As a reason for the decline in membership reports from the emigration to North Korea Ch'ongryŏn members are called, who complained in their letters to relatives in Japan about the poor material and political situation in North Korea, as well as the neglect of the function as the representative of the Korean minority in favor of state propaganda and to obtain foreign currency.

In addition, feel far less than their parents connected with North Korea, the children of the first generation members. In the 1990s, it was reported on increased tensions between the North Korean leadership and the Ch'ongryŏn. This resulted from the dissatisfaction of the Koreans zainichi with the ever increasing demands of North Korea after money allocations, as well as with the dynastic succession after the death of North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung. However, many Ch'ongryŏn members dared not a complete break with the organization because they were worried about the well-being of relatives in North Korea. The leadership in Pyongyang is accused in this connection, to abuse the members of the zainichi Koreans in North Korea as hostages to extort material support of the zainichi - Koreans.

Since there are no diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea, will take over the Ch'ongryŏn de facto the function of a North Korean agent in Japan. After the seizure of the headquarters, however, is currently questionable whether the Ch'ongryŏn can at all and to what extent fulfill this role.

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Ch'ongryŏn was (2007 ) until his death in February 2012 So Man- sul. His successor was elected on 19 May 2012, Ho Jong -man.