Congratulatory Message by Gen. Secy Kim Jong Il
Greetings by Japanese Lawmakers
What's Chongryun?

Chairman: Han Duk Su

First Vice Chairman: So Man Sul

Chief Vice Chairman: Ho Jong Man

Vice Chairman: Pak Jae Ro, Kwon Sun Hui, O Hyong Jin, Kim Tae Hui (deseased on Feb. 3, 1999)

General Director of the General Bureau of Secretaries: Ri Gi Sok

Choi Byong Jo (Treated as vice chairman)

Director of the Organizing Bureau: Ha Tae Hong

Director of the Culture and Information Bureau: Pae Jin Gu

Director of the Reunification Movement Bureau: Ryang Su Jong (New)

Director of the Educational Bureau: Pak Chom Sok (New)

Director of the International Affairs Bureau: Nam Sung U (New)

Director of the Economic Bureau: Cho Dong Hwan (New)

Director of the Bureau of Compatriots' Life: Ryu Gwang Su (New)

Director of the Financial Bureau: Kang Yong Gwan

Vice General Director of the General Affairs Bureau of Secretaries: Chong Gwang Su

Secretary General of the Economic Committee: Pak Un Sung (New)

Head of the Home-visiting Office: Kim Gi Chol

Chairman of the Control Committee: Hong In Hum

The 18th Congress of Chongryun (The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan) was held on May 22-23 at the Tokyo Korean Cultural Hall in downtown Tokyo, setting another milestone in enhancing patriotic movements waged by the unique overseas Korean organization to follow the wise guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

The Congress, participated in by about 2,000 Chongryun representatives from all parts of Japan, was the first to be held after Marshal Kim Jong Il officially assumed the title of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea last October.

The main purpose of the 18th triennial Congress was to analyze the situation in a new historical environment and make a comprehensive reviews of its activities after the 17th Congress in 1995, and discuss and decide on policy towards the 21st century, on the basis of the 43-year course history of Chongryun.

The Congress on the second day re-elected Mr. Han Duk Su chairman and Mr. Ho Jong Man chief vice chairman of the Chongryun Central Standing Committee. Former vice chairman So Man Sul was elected first vice chairman.

The Congress also reelected Pak Jae Ro, Kwon Sun Hui, and O Hyong Jin vice chairmen, and newly elected Kim Tae Hui vice chairman.

It reshuffled its bureaus by appointing some new directors, and also by renaming some bureaus. The Cultural Bureau and the Propaganda Bureau were merged into the Culture and Information Bureau, and the Social Bureau and the Political Bureau were respectively renamed the Bureau of Compatriots' Life and the Reunification Movement Bureau.

Chongryun was established on May 25, 1995 as the only organization of overseas Korean nationals of the DPRK. The Chongryun has served Korean compatriots in Japan as a powerful organization to protect their national dignity and human right.

The last 43 years have witnessed Chongryun doing what it could in order to rally resident Koreans closely behind the DPRK Government, defend their democratic national rights, promote the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea and deepen friendship with the world's peace-loving peoples including Japanese, despite all the disadvantages it has undergone in an alien country.