The National Intelligence Service said Wednesday they will start questioning six individuals -- other than leftist lawmaker Rep. Lee Seok-ki and those already under detention -- for any connection with the rebellion conspiracy or North Korea starting this Friday.
The six left-wing political and labor activists are among those whose homes and offices were raided last week. They were initially scheduled to be summoned on Wednesday but were delayed upon the request from their legal representative.
Among them is vice chairman Kim Geun-rae of the Unified Progressive Party’s Gyeonggi Province chapter, who will be questioned Wednesday next week. Lee Young-choon, director of the Goyang and Paju region for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, will appear for questioning on Monday.
Those to be summoned this Friday are Social Trend Institute representative Cho Yang-won, former UPP spokesperson Woo Wi-young and the UPP’s Gyeonggi Province branch chief Kim Hong-yeol. Former head of the UPP’s central youth committee Park Min-jung will be questioned on Saturday.
Upon the search and seizure, the prosecutors have sought for the arrest of Rep. Lee Seok-ki for instigating and conspiring in an armed revolt and forming an underground group known as “revolutionary organization,” while taking into custody three others including Hong Soon-seok, Han Dong-geun and Lee Sang-ho for conspiring to revolt and violating the National Security Act.
Hong is the deputy chief of the UPP’s Gyeonggi Province branch, while Han had been chief of the party’s Suwon office, and Lee Sang-ho, adviser at a progressive group in Gyeonggi.
The three under detention are currently being questioned about eight hours a day, sources said. They are mostly refusing to testify while Lee has gone on a hunger strike since his arrest on Aug. 28, the sources said.
The NIS said they will summon and question the six others to dig into the identity of the RO, the contents of the group’s secret meetings held in May, and any connection with North Korea.
By Lee Joo-hee
(
jhl@heraldcorp.com)
