A pro-Pyongyang association of ethnic Koreans in Japan known as Chongryeon has expressed shock at the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

A member of the association apparently said Monday that he learned of Kim's death from television reports, and the association would hold discussions to decide whether to fly flags at half staff or send representatives to the funeral.

The pro-North Korean association reportedly was not flying its flag at half staff at around 2 p.m., two hours after the North's Korean Central Television reported the death.

An outside expert familiar with the association said Chongryeon has had conflicts within the group over the North’s third hereditary power succession to Kim’s son Jong-un, projecting the conflicts within the association would worsen.