Japan police nab officials linked to North Korea

TOKYO, Feb 6 (Reuters) Japanese police arrested an official connected to a pro-Pyongyang group of Korean residents today, the latest in a series of arrests as diplomats gear up for a new round of six-way talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme in Beijing.

Song Gi Hwan, 43, who works for a regional chamber of commerce affiliated with Chongryon, an association for North Koreans in Japan, was arrested on suspicion of putting together company tax documents without an accountant's licence.

Hundreds of riot police stood guard at Chongryon's office in the western prefecture of Hyogo, Kyodo news agency said, as dozens of people demonstrated against searches of the group's premises.

Two other officials from the same chamber of commerce were arrested earlier, a police official said.

Japan has taken a hard line on North Korea ahead of the nuclear talks scheduled to restart on Thursday. Foreign Minister Taro Aso reiterated today that unless a long-running dispute over Japanese citizens kidnapped decades ago is resolved, Tokyo will not offer food, energy or financial assistance.

Tokyo first imposed punitive measures after North Korea fired off a barrage of test missiles in July and stepped them up after Pyongyang carried out a nuclear test in October. Imports from North Korea are banned, as are visits by a North Korean ferry long suspected of involvement in transporting parts for North Korea's missile programmes. Tokyo has also halted exports of luxury goods to the North.

Japanese government officials frequently mention the possibility of toughening the sanctions.

Today's police clampdown came a day after four people with ties to Chongryon were arrested on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido on suspicion of tax evasion yesterday, Kyodo said.

''The forcible investigation is an act of political oppression, in line with a plan to step up sanctions and pressure on North Korea,'' the head of the Hokkaido branch of the North Korean-affiliated group said in a statement today.

Prosecutors say the money from the alleged Hokkaido tax evasion may have been sent to North Korea, Kyodo quoted investigative sources as saying.

A North Korean resident who worked as an adviser to a Pyongyang-related science agency was also arrested along with his wife in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, late last month, media reports said.

REUTERS AKJ ND1414