By Kim Hyo-jin
The Ministry of Unification called on Pyongyang to swiftly repatriate two South Korean citizens detained by the regime on allegations of espionage, Friday.
“It is deeply regrettable that Pyongyang is making groundless allegations, which can be only verified after their return,” the Unification Ministry spokesperson said during a media briefing, demanding immediate release of the detainees.
The North’ official news agency, the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday that two South Korean citizens were detained on espionage.
“Kim Kuk-gi and Choi Chun-gil, who worked for Seoul’s National Intelligence Agency (NIS), were arrested while committing espionage to do harm to the supreme leadership of the DPRK,” an official of the North’s State Security Ministry was quoted as saying by KCNA.
The state media said Kim Kuk-gi, born in Daejeon in 1954, set up a spy network in Dandong, China, providing military and nuclear secrets. He was also accused of counterfeiting the North’s notes.
After the KCNA report was released, the NIS denied the allegation, saying it is “groundless.”
Another South Korean, Kim Jeong-wook, a missionary who was caught on allegations of espionage, has been held in North Korea since October 2013. Pyongyang sentenced Kim to life in prison and hard labor.