Arrest Warrants for Seven North Korea Visit Delegates

The public security authorities of the government requested the arrest warrants for 6 persons of the National Reunification Pan Nation Association, including vice chairperson Kim Kyu-Chul and Prof. Kang Jeong-Gu, professor of sociology at Dongguk University, for the violation of the National Security Law (meeting, communication, praise, and encouragement of the North)

The government authority revealed its plans to investigate additional suspects involved in uttering `re-unification following the revolutionary tradition` and `Mt. Baekdu revolution`

According to the Prosecutors Office, vice chairperson Kim held meetings with the representatives of the North Pan Nation Association in Pyongyang and revised the constitution of the organization.

Prof. Kang was charged with the educating students in Juche ideology at Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University in addition to his `Mankyongdae spirit` in the visitors’ book of Mankyongdae and the participation in the Memorial Tower of the National Reunification Three Charters incident.

The Seoul District Court will review the requests of the Public Prosecutors for the arrest warrants and make a final decision at 10:00 a.m. today after questioning them.

However, the Public Prosecutors Office released 9 persons, including Choi Kyu-Yeop, the chairperson of the Independent Unification Committee of the Democratic Labor Party, who were known to have participated in only the events at the Memorial Tower of the National Reunification Three Charters.

A Prosecutors` official said that ``the Public Prosecutors Office requested the arrest warrants according to the degree of their criminal violations. The Office will apply the law according to each case and evidences, and also consider the national sentiment and the positions of the related organizations.``

The official also mentioned that ``the Public Prosecutors Office will respect the major premise of reunification but will apply the law strictly to violations of substantial laws.``

Shin Suk-Ho kyle@donga.com