Nearly 150 prominent figures in academia, politics, the press and civil society have joined a campaign for the freedom of four South Korean activists held in China since late March.
They urged Beijing to stop the “illegal detention” of Kim Young-hwan and his three colleagues who campaigned against North Korea’s human rights abuses.
The group accused China of denying them contact with Seoul officials, their families and legal assistance in a clear violation of the international law.
“China is ignoring their human rights and relations (with South Korea). It would only make China lose its global leadership status,” Hong Soon-gyeong, chief of the Committee for Democratization of North Korea, said during a press conference.
A group of civic activists, politicians and scholars hold a press conference in Seoul Tuesday to urge China to release Kim Young-hwan and three other human rights activists. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)
Hong is one of the key drivers of the campaign.
The group also pointed out that China’s claim that the four are suspected of having threatened its national security is hard to understand, raising suspicion that North Korea may be involved in the case.
“The activists have believed we need to maintain good relations with China for North Korea’s democratization and its human rights conditions. Thus, China’s such claim does not make sense,” Hong said.
“This case sparks suspicion that China deals with the case in a clandestine connection with North Korea. China’s standing will be hurt as long as it embraces North Korea that is under international criticism for its nuclear, missile development.”
The four have been detained since they were arrested in the northeastern city of Dalian on March 29 on suspicion of threatening national security. Since Kim was allowed to meet a consulate on April 26 for the first time, China has rejected Seoul’s call to meet them, citing domestic law.
Since early this week, participants in the campaign have organized a full-fledged committee to free the four and drum up international support for their release.
The Committee for the Release of North Korean Human Rights Activist Kim Young Hwan also disclosed its petition, which it plans to submit to the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention soon.
It has also been contacting non-governmental organizations such as the Amnesty International.
The participants include former President Kim Young-sam, former Prime Minister Roh Jae-bong, Beautiful Foundation chairman Park Sang-jung, Yu Se-hee, professor emeritus of Hanyang University and Han Ki-hong, president of the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights.
“South Korea and China are at a critical juncture as this year, they mark the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and have launched official negotiations on a bilateral free trade pact,” the committee said in a press release.
“Detaining them does not serve China’s national interests and is an act that could fundamentally undermine the friendly ties between the two countries.”
Beijing maintains that in the cases of those who have allegedly violated the national security law, such access can be withheld in accordance with domestic law.
China has yet to explain to Seoul the exact details concerning their charges. Seoul officials also said that the detainees are unwilling to talk about their charge, sparking speculation over why they were detained.
Some observers say that North Korea may have asked China to arrest them as they have been key drivers of the movement for democracy and freedom in the repressive state. Others raised the possibility that China arrested them to show to Pyongyang that it cares about the concerns of its impoverished ally.
By Song Sang-ho (
sshluck@heraldcorp.com)