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U.S. Calls for Immediate Release of Kim Jung-Wook
South Korean Missionary Kim Jung-wook has been detained by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK, for more than 4,000 days. Kim Jung-wook is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 8, 2013, North Korean authorities reportedly arrested Kim Jung-wook, a South Korean missionary, after he allegedly entered North Korea with religious materials the day before, according to the Commission for International Religious Freedom. Prior to his arrest, Kim Jung-wook engaged in missionary work in Dandong city, Liaoning province, China, close to the North Korean border, providing pastoral services and humanitarian aid to North Korean refugees.
In February 2014, Kim Jung-wook was forced to confess his alleged crimes at a press conference, including working to establish underground churches.
In May 2014, it was reported that the Supreme Court sentenced Kim Jung-wook to life in prison with labor for conspiracy to subvert the State, anti-State propaganda and agitation, espionage, and illegal border crossing.
Along with Mr. Kim, five other South Koreans are believed to remain in detention in the DPRK, some of them having been incarcerated for more than 10 years.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement urged “the DPRK to immediately release all those who have been denied fair public trials and are subjected to unjust or arbitrary detention.”
South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho released a statement this month condemning “North Korea's illegal and inhumane human rights violations and strongly urge[d] the North, which is a party to major international human rights instruments, to immediately and unconditionally release our nationals who are illegally detained.”
The U.S. remains gravely concerned about the lack of transparency, fairness, and accountability within the DPRK’s judicial system. The DPRK regime continues to systematically violate and abuse the human rights of people in North Korea.
“The DPRK’s practice of unjustly detaining missionaries and perceived political opponents is a blatant attempt to curtail freedom of religion or belief, silence individuals, and limit access to outside information,” said Mr. Miller. “We condemn the DPRK’s systemic violations and abuses of human rights and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those unjustly detained in North Korea.”