Though the organization has seen better days, Chongryon can still serve as a base for North Korea’s covert operations against the South, a former Japanese intelligence officer told NK News.

Established in 1955, the pro-North Chongryon organization in Japan has served as a strong support for such activities from the motherland. It has been the main association of North Korean residents, who for years have shown stout solidarity with the Hermit Kingdom.

Chongryon, or the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, had 500,000-600,000 constituents at its peak in the 1960s. Currently, though, it is believed to have only 40,000-50,000