Pyongyang releases South Korean
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in North Korea yesterday released and deported a South Korean man studying at New York University who was arrested back in April for illegal entry, officials said.
Joo Won-Moon, a 21-year-old with permanent United States residency, was repatriated through the border truce village of Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border about 5:30pm, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said.
Soon after walking over the border, Joo was held by security officials for questioning about his unauthorized trip to North Korea, a ministry official said.
The move is likely to be seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of a key political anniversary, but while Seoul welcomed Joo’s release, it also urged Pyongyang to repatriate three other South Koreans being held in North Korea.
Joo’s release came after he was presented to the media in Pyongyang on September 25 and read out what appeared to be an officially approved statement, admitting his guilt and singing the country’s praises.
Unlike some other foreign citizens detained in North Korea, he was never put on trial.
“We welcome the decision to repatriate our citizen ... and we urge North Korea to release three other (South Korean) people being detained,” the ministry said earlier in a statement.
Two South Koreans were sentenced to life with hard labor in June on espionage and other charges. A South Korean missionary was given a similar sentence in May, 2014 — also on espionage charges.
Joo was arrested after crossing the Yalu River into North Korea from the Chinese border city of Dandong on April 22.
He told CNN in an interview in May that he had crossed two barbed-wire fences and walked through farmland until he reached a large river. He followed the river until soldiers arrested him.
“I thought by my entrance .... some great event could happen and hopefully that event could have a good effect on relations between North Korea and (South Korea),” he said at the time.
Joo was born in Seoul but moved to the US in 2001.
Numerous foreigners, mainly Americans and often evangelical Christians, have crossed illegally into North Korea over the years. They are normally released after they have served a short prison term.
Joo’s release came as North and South Korea are preparing to hold a rare reunion later this month for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
There are concerns the event might be canceled, amid speculation Pyongyang is preparing a rocket test to mark the 70th anniversary of its ruling Workers’ Party. Any such launch would violate United Nations resolutions and trigger a spike in tensions on the Korean peninsula.
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