Secretive N. Korean agency involved in mushroom smuggling: report

Japanese police have acquired evidence that North Korea`s Office 39, a secretive government organization managing the North Korean ruling family`s funds, is involved in illegally exporting mushroom to Japan, the Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, Japanese police seized a document between Office 39 and the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan during a raid in May 2014 of the home of the second son of the group`s chairman, Ho Jong Man. The document read that exporting pine mushroom was a state project, listing a trading company under the pro-Pyongyang group as the recipient of the mushrooms.

A Japanese police official said it was the first time a document bearing the name of Bureau 39 was seized.

Meanwhile, Ho Jong To, the second son of the group`s chairman, was arrested by Japanese police on May 12 on charges of violating foreign exchange law by illegally importing 1,800 kilograms of North Korean mushrooms disguised as being from China in September 2010. Japan has banned all imports from North Korea since 2008 as part of sanctions against Pyongyang. Japanese police raided the senior Ho`s residence in March in connection with the same charges.

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