yunhap news
– Hong Mo (47), who had been tried for six years, was found not guilty for infiltrating the country under the guise of a North Korean defector as a’agent of the North Korean Security Command’. The Security Agency is a North Korean intelligence investigative agency that conducts inspections of large populations along with the People’s Security Ministry.
The second division of the Supreme Court (Presiding Judge Ahn Cheol-sang) announced on the 25th that it has confirmed the court case of acquitting Hong, who was accused of carrying out purposes, espionage, and special infiltration under the National Security Law.
The prosecution tried to lure and kidnap a North Korean broker at the border between North Korea and China, and two months later, while Hong was selected as an agent of the Security Agency in May 2012. In March 2014, he filed an arrest prosecution.
As a basis for espionage activities, the prosecution presented a handwritten affidavit written by Hong at the Central Joint Newspaper Center of the National Intelligence Service in which Mr. Hong confessed to the allegations, and a report on the suspected newspaper in the prosecution’s investigation.
However, the first and second trials pleaded not guilty, saying that the affidavit made by Hong during the investigation of the NIS was virtually identical to the prosecution’s report on the suspects, but denied the contents in court and could not be admitted as evidence.
In addition, the prosecution did not sufficiently explain the right to refuse statements and the right to assist attorneys to Mr. Hong, and did not recognize the report of the suspect as legitimate evidence.
The Supreme Court also dismissed the prosecution’s appeal, saying that the judgment below was justified. As a result, Mr. Hong was convicted of innocence after six years of arrest.
Mr. Hong’s lawyers issued a statement on the day and said, “With this decision of the Supreme Court, our society is at a new crossroads to realize the reform task to prevent the recurrence of state violence that manipulates North Koreans as spies.”
Reporter Bae Jae-seong [email protected]
–
