“North Korean Spies and Ethnic Koreans Led the Abduction of Pastor Kim to North Korea in 2000”

The prosecution and the National Intelligence Service have found clues that nine people, including three spies from North Korea`s State Safety and Security Agency, and six Ethnic Koreans were involved systematically in the abduction incident of South Korean pastor Kim Dong-shik, which took place in Yanji, China, in January 2000, and are investigating the case.

It was reported on December 14 that the National Intelligence Service had confirmed such a statement from Ethnic Korean spy Ryu (35, arrested) who participated in the incident at the time, and Lee Chun-gil (alias), a North Korean defector who was formerly a special agent of North Korea`s State Safety and Security Agency who accomplished the mission of arresting North Korean defectors.

Previously, Section 1 of the Seoul District Public Prosecutors` Office(superintendent: Gu Bon-min) arrested Ryu on December 11 under charges of meeting, corresponding, and other violations of the National Security Law, and abduction and confinement violations of criminal law.

According to the prosecution, Ryu is charged with abducting pastor Kim by car in Yanji and passing him to North Korea, along with eight people including spies from North Korea`s State Safety and Security Agency and Ethnic Koreans, on January 16, 2001.

At the time of the abduction, Kim was running a “House of Love,” a nursery school, and a missionary center, taking care of around 30 child beggars.

The prosecution mentioned Ryu, saying, “Although he was a Ethnic Korean, he was subsumed by North Korea and served as a special agent belonging to North Korea`s State Safety and Security Agency by receiving orders and money for that,” and added, “It was known that he was involved in the process of abducting 10 North Korean defectors in China and sending them to North Korea in custody.”

Ryu had come to Korea with the other accomplice, Lee (34), in August 2001, and had been working as a physical laborer before being caught in the police dragnet of the public security office and being arrested.

The prosecution also added, “There is a possibility that the accomplices such as Lee may be staying in Korea.” and added, “We are tracing the whereabouts of the four or five Ethnic Koreans who participated in the incident at the time.”

The prosecution authority said, “It seems that there are no citizens of South Korea among the accomplices.”

Jin-Young Hwang buddy@donga.com