N. Korean Agent Received Orders Through Korean-Canadian ‘Comrade’
We have more details about Kang Soon-Jeong, co-chairman of the pro-North Korean group that led the violent 9/11/05 protests that attempted to tear down the MacArthur statue in Incheon, and who also played a role in the much more violent Pyeongtaek protests last spring.
Kang allegedly took orders via a Korean-Canadian and over five years sent some 500 reports to North Korea. They included photos of the massive anti-American protests following the death of two schoolgirls who were killed by a U.S armored vehicle in 2002. The photos Kang allegedly sent were carried in the North Korean Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Shinmun 27 times. He himself wrote a calligraphic oath of allegiance and sent it to Pyongyang to mark the 60th birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Feb. 16, 2002, according to prosecutors. An investigator said a photo of the late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung hung in Kang’s bedroom.
You will recall that the Il Shim Hue cell’s leader was a Korean-American. I emphasize again that no report I’ve yet seen links Kang to Il Shim Hue.
I think it’s highly counter productive to go after communists for treason, espionage, etc. It makes it seem like they are political prisoners and anti-communists are fascists.
If we are serious about fighting communists around the world, our only real practical course of action is to allow more defectors/refugees sanctuary. Already Free NK radio is superior to RFA in terms of content. We need real breathing NK people walking around telling the truth to combat the “useful idiots” around the world. In addition, if we accept enough NK defectors in the United States, we would have a far greater moral strength to influence Roh Moo Hyun. I have been disappointed for a long time that the much heralded NKHRA didn’t seem to accomplish much.
It seems clear that Bush has decided to follow Roh’s course of action, which is understandable given the circumstances. But at this point when sunshine has clearly failed and DPRK has set off a nuclear explosive, we need to allow at the very least 100 DPRK refugees asylum per year. (but in truth, we really need 10x that number) In turn, those 100 refugees will strengthen the moral claims of KA churches in the United States who speak against KA groups like Nodeutdol. In the end, only through waging a war of winning hearts and minds will we see victory. Not only would this be the moral thing to do, as Dr. Lankov points out, economically sensible insurance for the day when DPRK does collapse.
Although I strongly agree with you that opening two-way communication with the North Korean people is the ultimate solution to the problem — whereas arresting spies is a mere reaction to to the problem — I also don’t see any mutual exclusion between propagating truth and enforcing the law. Both are essential, and exposing the radical left’s North Korean puppet strings certainly has evidentiary value in the court of public opinion.
More fundamentally, the rule of law has to be upheld, or else subversion, intimidation, and violence become shortcuts around the democratic process. You don’t uphold the rule of law by investigating and punishing individualized acts of violence while carving out exceptions for those who conspire to commit it on a massive scale.
Joshua, normally I would agree with you. But the “rule” in question is South Korea’s national security law. I am just afraid that the communists will take this as a PR victory. Although I would take personal delight to see these f&*kers eat “kong-bap”, i am afraid of the very unpredictable mood swings of Korean popular sentiment.
I just wish that Korean conservatives could be just a bit more creative. For example, investing in Korean film producers who lampoon DPRK or Hanchongryun. Korean conservatives seem to be a pretty serious bunch, and although stuff like “Yoduk Story” is a very good method, they need something to reach the popular masses. Some kind of comedy skit making fun of KJI or Hanchongryun kids shouldn’t be that difficult to produce. When I talked to Korean people who were involved in Hanchongryunish things, on the whole they seem to have a ambivalent attitude towards the US. But they also recognized that “demo” was a “fun” activity they did during college instead of going to class. Is it really that difficult to make fun of a bunch of losers?
It just seems that the Korean conservatives have aged and is no longer in touch with the popular youth culture, and this really hurts them in spreading their ideas.
I don’t think it’s appropriate to attribute this investigation and prosecution solely to the National Security Law, thereby mixing it in with the NSL’s reactionary and dictatorial baggage. This same conduct would be punishable under U.S. law, and that of most nations:
* Some of the conduct involves the use of violence for political intimidation, which meets our statutory definition of domestic terrorism under 18 USC 2331(5). The organized violence at Humphreys and Incheon suggests the presence of a conspiracy to provoke public disorder (18 USC 2383-2384), and section 2385 prohibits the mere advocacy of the violent overthrow the government (the last may be open to constitutional attack).
* Most of the indicted conduct would violate the Foreign Agents’ Registration Act, at 18 USC 951. See also sec. 953, relating to communications with officers of foreign governments, and 18 USC 2386(B), requiring the registration of “[e]very organization subject to foreign control which engages in political activity.”
* Although there’s a real question about the confidentiality or secrecy of the information these men sent to their puppetmasters in the North, the presence of their friend in the Blue House and some key ministries would suggest that espionage is a real possibility (the info would have to be either classified or “defense information” to meet the US statute’s definition).
I suspect we agree that other aspects of the NSL should be repealed, such as its restrictions on free speech, and I’ve forcefully defended the right of Professor Kang Jeong-Koo, for example, to spout his hateful, nihilistic, but nonetheless peacefully expressed ideas.
The fact that the NSL is overbroad and partially inconsistent with the ROK Constitution does not mean that every provision in the law should be repealed, however. No state that disarms itself against those who organize violence, or who commit esponionage and subversion, can survive for long, especially not a nation confonting such implacably Manichean enemies as North Korea. That’s why the conduct of these men qualifies them for severe punishment in most democracies, but particularly in Korea’s unique circumstances, and notwithstanding other provisions of the NSL that ought to be repealed.