|
The 22 North Koreans found drifting in South Korean waters in the West Sea on Feb. 8 were interrogated by South Korean intelligence agents in groups of five or six, rather than one at a time as regulations require, it was learned on Tuesday.
It was also learned that the North Koreans were returned to their home country after only four or five hours of questioning. North Korea demanded twice that the 22 be returned, it was confirmed.
The National Assembly's Intelligence Committee on Tuesday grilled the National Intelligence Service on suspicions of irregularities involving the return of the North Koreans.
In a briefing after the committee's closed-door meeting, Grand National Party lawmaker Chung Hyung-keun said, "Rules require that refugees be interrogated one by one. Some committee members found fault with (intelligence authorities') interrogations of the (22 North Koreans) in groups -- by fives or sixes each time -- for four to five hours."
Another committee member said, "The NIS interrogated them in groups of five at first, but later switched to individual interrogations to find out if they intended to seek asylum in the South. According to intelligence rules, refugees must be questioned one by one to find out if they intend to defect. Group interrogations are against the rules."
North Korean defectors' organizations claimed that South Korean investigators have used threatening tactics when questioning refugees, and that refugees have been browbeaten in group interrogations into returning to the North. They demanded that it be ascertained whether the investigators used intimidating methods in the latest case.
Rep. Chung continued, "On the morning of Feb. 8, North Korea asked the South twice, via the international standard radio frequency designed for commercial vessels, to quickly send the North Koreans back. Some committee members suspect that the intelligence agency investigated the North Koreans hastily in order to comply with North Korea's request."
Regarding rumors that the 22 have been executed since they were returned to North Korea, the NIS said it's impossible to confirm the rumors, nor is it possible to confirm the returnees' whereabouts.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
