Aug 03 (NHK) - A Japanese court has ordered a pro-North Korean group to repay more than 800 million dollars in debts to a Japanese government-backed collection agency.
The Resolution and Collection Corporation lodged a complaint with the Tokyo District Court this year against the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan. It seeks repayment of debts and interest totaling about 820 million dollars.
On Wednesday, the presiding judge Takahiro Nakao ordered the association to pay the amount in full.
The collection agency took over bad loans from a failed credit union linked with North Korean business interests. It later sued the Pro-Pyongyang group for repayment of loans totaling more than 560 million dollars extended by the credit union.
The court ordered the association to repay the amount as the agency demanded. The ruling was confirmed in 2007.
The agency has so far collected more than 50 million dollars, mainly through the sale of the association's headquarters and its land.
Source: ANNnewsCH