The Koreans resident in Japan are the victims of distress-torn history of the Korean people who were drafted to Japan during the Japanese military occupation (1905-1945) and deprived of their national dignity and rights to live, and their descendants.

During the hard-fought Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) President Kim Il Sung had a talk with a Korean delegate from Japan at the Supreme Headquarters, He learned about the grave situation of the movement of Koreans in Japan vacillating aimlessly in confusion and the plights of overseas compatriots. The Koreans, though they live in Japan, he noted, should strive for the sake of their motherland and nation. He then put forward a policy of firmly adhering to the standpoint of Juche to all intents and purposes, and carrying on the patriotic undertaking for national reunification and the prosperity of their motherland while strengthening international ties with the democratic forces in Japan.

Thanks to the Juche-oriented line of the overseas compatriots’ movement, the movement of Koreans in Japan at stake was saved and began to enter a new stage of its development. On May 25, Juche 44 (1955), the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), the first-ever overseas compatriots’ organization of the DPRK, was formed in Tokyo, Japan.

The formation of Chongryon was a historic event which brought about a radical change in the patriotic work and life of Koreans in Japan.

The great leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il strengthened and developed Chongryon into a Juche-based overseas compatriots’ organization that represents the rights and interests of all Koreans resident in Japan. They also wisely led it to further strengthen the organization and dynamically advance along the road of patriotism in single-hearted unity even in the grim situation.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un specified the tasks and ways for promoting the movement of Koreans in Japan to a new, higher level in keeping with the changed situation and environment in which the generations are being replaced by another, and guided its work at every step.

Chongryon embraces compatriots of all social standings and independent organizations of different strata and has a well-knit structure from the top down to the lowest echelons. As a thorough spokesperson for and staunch advocate of the rights and interests of compatriots and their kind servant, Chongryon has made proactive efforts to provide them with democratic national rights and promote their well-being. In particular, it has trained a large number of talented personnel who would resolutely carry forward its patriotic cause under the well-regulated national education system, ranging from primary schools to a university, and has developed brilliant culture and tradition of the Korean nation.

Its officials and other compatriots in Japan have made patriotic efforts for the prosperity of their motherland, sharing joy and sorrow with the people in the homeland who are building a powerful socialist country, and launched vigorous struggle for achieving the independent reunification of the country and cementing international solidarity with the Japanese people and other progressives around the world.

The Korean community in Japan is overflowing with noble morality and humanity as it is always under the warm care of the socialist motherland and Chongryon.

Serious obstacles still crop up in the way of Chongryon.

However, it is firmly defending the dignity and sovereignty of the socialist motherland, taking resolute measures to cope with the ever-worsening anti-DPRK and anti-Chongryon moves of the Japanese reactionaries.

Regarding the letter the Supreme Leader sent to Chongryon on the occasion of its 60th founding anniversary as the guideline, it is now waging a dynamic struggle to usher in a new heyday of the movement of Koreans in Japan by steadily carrying forward the tradition of love for the country and the nation.