Dubious issues with Chongryun must be solved
(From The Japan Times June 21 issue)

朝鮮総連本部をめぐる売買の謎

It is hoped that prosecutors will carry out a fair investigation and clarify the total picture. Mr. Koken Tsuchiya, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, represented Chongryun in the deal and asked Mr. Ogata for his cooperation.

On June 18, the Tokyo District Court ordered Chongryun to repay ¥62.7 billion to the Resolution and Collection Corp., a gov-ernmental debt-collection body. The RCC had bought nonperforming loans worth that amount from 16 defunct pro-Pyongyang credit associations. The court decided the loans made to various parties were loans to Chongryun, and that the RCC could seize the Chon-gryun properties before the ruling was finalized following appeal.

There are many bizarre aspects about the real estate deal. On May 31, the ownership of the Chongryun properties was transferred to Harvest, the investment advisory firm, even though no payments had been made to Chongryun. Mr. Ogata also admitted that the firm was a paper company set up in September. Under the sales contract, Chongryun would continue to use the building and land, and be accorded the right to buy back the properties in five years.

Shortly before the June 18 ruling, Mr. Tsuchiya gave up on selling the properties, and the title was transferred back to the original owner, Chosen Chuo Kaikan Kanrikai, a limited partnership corporation, which is integrated with Chongryun. Mr. Ogata also said he did not know the detailed identity of an investor who had promised to pay the ¥3.5 billion.

Mr. Ogata said he pushed the deal so that the Chongryun headquarters, which is like an embassy for Pyongyang-affiliated Korean residents in Japan, would not be seized if the ruling went against the group. Mr. Ogata and Mr. Tsuchiya need to disclose full details.

The Japan Times Weekly: June 30, 2007
(C) All rights reserved

    　東京地裁は6月18日、回収整理機構が朝鮮総連に対し627億円の返還を求めた訴訟で、朝鮮総連に対し全額支払いを命じた。

    　取引には多くの謎が残る。たとえば、5月31日、問題の土地建物の所有権は、支払いが行われていないにもかかわらず、投資顧問会社ハーベストに移転されている。緒方氏は、この会社はペーパーカンパニーであると認めている。東京地裁判決の直前に、土屋氏は土地建物の売却を断念、所有権は朝鮮総連の関連団体に戻された。謎の事件について、緒方氏、土屋氏は説明責任を負う。