So Man-sul

So Man-sul is the current chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), as well as a member of Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea).

In May 2006, he met his counterpart of the pro-Seoul Korean association Mindan Ha Byung-ok. According to a joint statement signed on May 17th 2006, "Chongryon and Mindan affirmed each other that they would surely convert the long-standing antagonism and confrontation between the two organizations into reconciliation and concord in conformity with the trend of national history advancing toward national unity and reunification in the idea of "By our nation itself", the main spirit of the June 15 joint declaration" [ [http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/pk/229th_issue/2006051701.htm The People's Korea (newspaper of the Chongryon)] ] .

However, Mindan's regional chapters strongly opposed the joint statement, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDQ/is_2006_June_26/ai_n16499894] and Ha Byung-ok was expelled from Mindan for attempting reconciliation with Chongryon. The new Mindan leadership criticises the declaration as a North Korean scheme to use Mindan for its reunification purposes, and in November 2006 published an article citing its reasonings behind opposing the joint statement, which it called "against humanity and human rights". [http://www.mindan.org/eng/newspaper/read_artcl.php?newsid=756] Pro-Chongryon media blamed this on "pressure from the Japanese government" [ [http://www.tongilkorea.net/?action=fullnews&id=4932 Website NATE.com] ] ,

On October 30th 2006, he met in Tokyo Paek Rak-chong, chairman of the South Side's Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration (see the article Reunification of Korea) [ [http://www.tongilkorea.net/?action=fullnews&id=4932 Tongil Korea] ] .

In April 2007, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department requested So and two other Chongryon officials to voluntarily attend the police station to give statements in connection with a 1970's abduction of a Japanese toddler by North Korean agents. Chongryon issued a public statement rejecting the request.

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