Voluntary Army Unit for Suppressing Koreans

Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai (the Voluntary Army Unit for Suppressing Koreans) is a nationalist Japanese organization that is particularly opposed to North Korea.  Very little is known about the group, and it is unclear whether or not the organization is a racist one, opposed to Koreans in general, or simply political.<P><br /><br /> Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai first came to public attention in November 2002, when the headquarters of the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) received a letter containing a bullet.  Over the next eight months, Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai is reported to have carried out six attacks in five different prefectures.  In addition to North Korean affiliated targets, an Aum Supreme Truth facility and a teacher's union office were attacked.  Ballistics tests showed that the same gun was used in several of the attacks.<P><br /><br />On August 23-24, 2003; Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai attacked several Chongryon-related targets.  The attacks included, an attempted bombing at Chongryon's regional headquarters in Fukuoka, and another attempted bombing at a credit union affiliated with Chongryon. <P><br /><br />The triple attacks were apparently undertaken to protest the Niigata port call of the North Korean freight and passenger ferry the Mangyongbong-92.  Japanese officials have said that they believe North Korea used the ferry for smuggling and espionage activities in the past.<P><br /><br />One of the anonymous callers who claimed responsibility on behalf of Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai, said "We launched the attacks in protest of a port visit to Niigata tomorrow by a spy ship belonging to the lawless state of North Korea...This is a protest from thoughtful Japanese...Unless North Korea shows regret for what it has done, we will step up our attacks."<br />

Although there are many small right-wing groups operating in Japan, most of these outfits do not undertake violent activity, or are responsible for a single attack and are never heard from again.  Kenkoku Giyugun Chosen Seibatsutai is unique in that they claimed responsibility for multiple attacks, and although these incidents caused no casualties, the group showed no hesitation in using violence.  The group has not claimed responsibility for any attacks since late 2003, but there is a possibility that the group could re-emerge given the current political climate between Japan and the Koreas.