Choi Gi-moon, “Song Doo-yul and Kim Chul-su is the Same Person”

National Police Agency Commissioner Choi Gi-moon said on Friday, July 23 that South Korea-German dissident scholar Song Doo-yul is believed to be Kim Chul-su, a secret Politburo member of the ruling North Korean Workers’ Party.

At the Administration and Local Autonomy Committee meeting, Lawmaker Park Chan-sook of the Grand National Party (GNP) asked the commissioner Choi whether she still thinks Professor Song should be punished according to the law, and the commissioner responded that the Supreme Court would decide, but his stance remains unchanged.

“Vicious criminals should be put to death for the well-being of society,” Commissioner Choi voiced his opposition against abolishing the death sentence. In regard to the controversy over the improper investigation into serial killer Yoo Yeong-cheol, the commissioner announced that he would call responsible people to account and apologize to the nation after the investigation concludes.

Meanwhile, Administration and Local Autonomy Committee Chairman Lee Yong-hee criticized Huh Sung-gwan, minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs (MOGAHA) who was on vacation and did not attend the meeting. “He is a failure as the minister of MOGAHA. He should have attended the meeting instead of sending blameless Commissioner Choi. I will meet him in person and make sure such things never happen again,” said the chairman.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com