Representative Park Sang-hak's Atrocities Against Reporters... Assault and Accusation of Conspiracy with North Korea for Terrorism

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, who has been involved in distributing leaflets to North Korea, is under police investigation. He is accused of assaulting SBS reporters who visited his home and firing a gas gun at police officers. In response, Park filed a complaint with the police, accusing the reporters of "conspiring with North Korea to commit murder and terrorist acts."

The Songpa Police Station in Seoul is conducting an investigation into Park on charges including obstruction of official duties. On the evening of the 23rd, around 9 p.m., when SBS reporters visited his home in Songpa-gu, Seoul, Park verbally abused and assaulted them. He protested, "How did you come here?" while throwing punches and even threw bricks that were in the hallway. The assaulted reporters reportedly suffered serious injuries, including symptoms of a concussion.

Park did not stop at assaulting the reporters; he also sprayed a gas gun at police officers who tried to intervene. Upon learning of these facts, the police began an investigation into Park, who is a subject of personal protection.

In response, the Free North Korea Movement Alliance accused the reporters of conspiring with North Korea in terrorism and filed a complaint against them with the police. In a statement, the alliance said, "The reporters who came to Park’s home committed a barbaric act by conspiring with North Korea’s heinous murderous acts aimed at killing the people," and added, "Exposed completely to terrorist threats, we can no longer live in the apartment," explaining their decision to file a complaint with the Songpa Police Station.

They further claimed, "The National Intelligence Service, police, and Ministry of Unification had jointly classified Park’s home and office as top secret security matters, so how did they know and come here?" and asserted, "It was an intention to inform, 'Kim Jong-un, Park Sang-hak, whom you are trying to kill, lives right here.'"

Meanwhile, the police conducted raids on organizations related to Park. On the 26th, the police carried out a seven-hour search of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance office in Songpa-gu and the Keunsaem office in Gangnam-gu. Keunsaem is a defector organization led by Park’s younger brother, Park Jung-oh. Both organizations are suspected of violating the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, among other charges.

Despite the government’s firm stance on strict measures, the Free North Korea Movement Alliance claimed to have suddenly distributed 500,000 leaflets to North Korea in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Keunsaem reportedly sent rice in PET bottles toward North Korea. The Ministry of Unification requested the police to investigate these organizations for violations of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act and other reasons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.