OSAKA, family 10 Kyodo Pro-Pyong...

OSAKA, family 10 Kyodo

Pro-Pyongyang and pro-Seoul Korean residents in Japan will not cheer together in the upcoming world judo championships in Osaka, nor hoist a Korean unification flag, members of the pair groups said Wednesday.

The clusters apparently decided not to support each other's athletes because of growing hostility to North Korea in Japan above issues such as the abduction of Japanese nationals at North Korean agents in the 1970 and 1980s

The pro-Seoul Korean Residents' Union in Japan (Mindan) said the public would not warmly welcome any call for Korean unification in the now passing climate.

At the table tennis world championships held in Osaka in 2001 Mindan and the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) cheered together and hoisted a unification flag, acting forward the cordial mood between the Koreas after the historic inter-Korean summit in June 2000

if it were not that for the Sept. 11-14 judo competition, the pair groups will cheer barely for their own teams using separate flags for North and southerly Korea, they said.

However, about 120 pupils from couple local elementary schools will be cheering for as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but Korea's athletes -- as part of a move initiated by the city of Osaka to have elementary and junior high teachs each cheer for one country

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