"Chungbuk Comrades Association" Liaison Officer Convicted of North Korean Espionage, Supreme Court Upholds Five-Year Prison Sentence

Formed Anti-State Group Under North Korean Orders,
Supreme Court Finalizes Prison Sentence

The Supreme Court has finalized a five-year prison sentence for the liaison officer of the Cheongju spy ring, known as the "Chungbuk Comrades Association," who was tried on charges of organizing an anti-state group and engaging in espionage activities under orders from North Korea.

The Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Oh Seokjun) on the morning of September 11 upheld the lower court's decision, confirming a five-year prison sentence for Park (53), the liaison officer who was indicted on charges including violation of the National Security Act.

In April, sentences of two to five years in prison were finalized for Chairman Son (51), Advisor Park (61), and Vice Chairman Yoon (54). Park, who was tried separately, has now also received a final sentence. They were brought to trial on charges of forming the anti-state group Chungbuk Comrades Association under orders from a North Korean operative in 2017, receiving $20,000 in operational funds, and engaging in espionage activities.

The group divided roles as chairman, advisor, vice chairman, and liaison officer, and worked to recruit politicians and figures from labor and civic organizations in the Chungbuk region. They were also found to have engaged in activities threatening national security, including protests against the introduction of F-35A fighter jets at the Cheongju Air Base, detecting and collecting state secrets, and gathering anti-state materials. The first trial court recognized charges such as organizing a criminal group and holding meetings and communications under the National Security Act, sentencing Park to 14 years in prison and 14 years of disqualification from certain rights.

However, the appellate court acquitted Park of the charge of organizing a criminal group, which had been found guilty in the first trial, and sentenced him to five years in prison and five years of disqualification. The appellate court ruled that, since there were only four members, it was difficult to consider the group as having sufficient scale and structure to constitute a criminal organization. The Supreme Court found no error in the appellate court’s judgment and dismissed the appeal.

The Supreme Court stated, "There was no error in the lower court’s ruling that would constitute a violation of logic or the rules of experience, nor did it exceed the limits of free evaluation of evidence or misunderstand the legal principles regarding violation of the National Security Act that would have affected the verdict."

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