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Multilevel Espionage Ring Exposed

Posted December. 09, 2006 07:57,   

한국어

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Prosecution investigation revealed that the members of Ilsimhoe, an espionage organization involving those with 386 generation student movement backgrounds, had been promoting the organization of more than four subsidiary organizations.

The NIS and prosecutors announced on December 8 that they uncovered signs that Lee Jeong-hun (43) and Lee Jin-kang (43), both under the general director of Ilsimhoe’s Jang Min-ho (American name: Michael Jang, 44), had each planned to form independent subsidiaries named ‘Supporters of Seongun (military first)’, ‘8-25 Companions’ and ‘Baekduhoe.’

In particular, they took Seoul as their strategic base and were planning on forming subsidiary bodies in each major part of Seoul through Lee Jeong-hun who has worked as a member of the Democratic Labor Party.

Public Security Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, which have conducted the investigation into Ilsimhoe since November, announced the investigation results and prosecuted all five persons implicated, including Jang, on charges of espionage (Article 4, Clause 1, No. 2 of the National Security Law) on the same day.

"(If this means they formed groups and acted) they can be seen as spies," said Ahn Chang-ho, deputy prosecutor general at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

Prosecutors explained that those arrested for espionage received orders from North Korea, assimilated personnel from a civic group and carried out direct and indirect anti-U.S. activities by protesting the relocation of U.S. bases to Pyeongtaek, the Korea-U.S FTA negotiation, and the death of junior school students in Uijeongbu.



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