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The Korean-American businessman Chang Min-ho, who is accused of spying for North Korea, was a resident spymaster for the communist country for 13 years, investigators say. They say Chang was recruited by the North Korea¡¯s Liaison Department, which is in charge of espionage in the South under the Workers Party, in September 1993.
The National Intelligence Service and prosecutors said Chang at the orders of the department set up an underground network of veteran pro-democracy student activists with records of violating the National Security Law. They allegedly included a former member of the opposition Democratic Labor Party¡¯s central committee, Lee Jung-hun, businessman Sohn Jung-mok, DLP vice secretary general Choi Ki-young, and another man identified by his surname Lee, all of whom are in custody.
Authorities are investigating exactly what missions they carried out for North Korea and whether Chang recruited other former student activists.
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The headquarters of the Democratic Labor Party in Yeouido, Seoul on Friday after some members were arrested for spying for North Korea.
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According to authorities, Chang visited North Korea at least four times since he was recruited by another Korean-American in 1993. He was reportedly trained for some 10 days by the Liaison Department and pledged allegiance to North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il and the Workers Party.
The DPL vice secretary general has reportedly taken a leading role in pro-North Korean activities. He played a key part in organizing protests against the move of U.S. Forces Korea headquarters to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province and was also involved in demonstrations condemning the government¡¯s support for the UN resolution sanctioning North Korea in the wake of its nuclear test. Party sources said Choi showed more interest in issues like the abolition of the National Security Law and anti-American protests in Pyeongtaek than questions of public welfare. He also participated in candle light vigils over the killing of two middle school girls by a U.S. Army vehicle some years ago.
Lee Jung-hun also leaned toward a pro-North Korean ideology of national liberation when he was a member of the DLP¡¯s central committee. National liberation, along with proletarian democracy, was one of the two major ideological strands among student activists in the 1980s. Since former student activists of the national liberation faction reportedly took a more active part in protests against free trade talks with the U.S. and the move of the USFK base, there is speculation linking the espionage scandal to the organized anti-American movement.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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