The Supreme Court has finalized the prison sentences and acquittals for former officials of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) who engaged in espionage activities after receiving directives from North Korean operatives.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court’s Second Division, presided over by Justice Oh Kyung-mi, upheld the lower court’s decision to sentence Seok (54), the former head of the Organization Division at the KCTU, and Kim (50), the former head of the Health and Medical Union at the KCTU, to three years in prison. They were convicted of violating the National Security Law, including charges of espionage, special infiltration and escape, unauthorized meetings and communications, and providing assistance to enemy agents.
The court also confirmed the acquittals of Yang (56), the former vice-chairman of the Metal Workers’ Union under the KCTU, and Shin (53), the former head of the Organization Division at another KCTU federation.
Seok and his associates were indicted for receiving directives from North Korea and conducting espionage activities 102 times between October 2018 and December 2022. Investigations revealed that they had direct contact with North Korean operatives in China and Cambodia from September 2017 to August 2019.
The group is further accused of creating an email account for communications with North Korea and developing covert signaling methods to contact their members between June 2020 and September 2022.
According to investigators, following instructions from North Korea, they gathered intelligence and photographs regarding factional affiliations, candidate preferences for the KCTU chairperson election, as well as military facilities and equipment at the U.S. Army base in Pyeongtaek and Osan Air Base.
In the initial trial, Seok was sentenced to 15 years, Kim to 7 years, and Yang to 5 years, while Shin was acquitted.
However, the appellate court reduced the sentences, imposing 9 years and 6 months on Seok and 3 years on Kim, while upholding the acquittals for Yang and Shin.