Sin Gwang-su (spy)
Encyclopedia
Sin Gwang-su is a Zainichi Korean
North Korea
n, was born in Shizuoka, Japan, He was involved in the North Korean abductions of Japanese
.
Sin is currently the subject of an arrest warrant
issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau
for his alleged links with abductions.
he moved to North Korea
.
In 1973 he sneaked into Japan through Noto Peninsula
. He first kidnapped a Japanese chef, stole the chef's name and identity, and moved into various Japanese cities, such as Tokyo
, Osaka
, and Kyoto
. While in Japan, he was suspected of kidnapping a Japanese citizen and working in a North Korean organization to undermine South Korea
. In 1985, he was arrested by the South Korean police, and was jailed for life.
In 1999, the South Korean government decided to release him. In 2000 he was resettled to North Korea
along with 62 other unconverted long-term prisoners
under the terms of the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration. He was regarded as a hero upon his return.
While under South Korean interrogation, he admitted that Kim Jong-il
directly ordered the abduction of several foreigners. In 2006, the Japanese government made an extradition request to the North Korean Ambassador, Song Il-Ho, at the Japan-North Korea meeting in Beijing
. The North Korean ambassador subsequently refused, calling him a hero of North Korea
.
Zainichi Korean
Koreans in Japan are the ethnic Korean residents of Japan. They currently constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, who are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan...
North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n, was born in Shizuoka, Japan, He was involved in the North Korean abductions of Japanese
North Korean abductions of Japanese
The abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983. Although only 17 Japanese are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been as many as 70 to 80...
.
Sin is currently the subject of an arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau
The is a bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in charge of public security with jurisdiction over Tokyo metropolis. It has a force of more than 2,000 officers....
for his alleged links with abductions.
History
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he moved to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
.
In 1973 he sneaked into Japan through Noto Peninsula
Noto Peninsula
thumb|right|240px|Landsat image with high-resolution data from Space Shuttle.Noto Peninsula is a peninsula that projects north into the Sea of Japan from the coast of Ishikawa prefecture in central Honshū, the main island of Japan...
. He first kidnapped a Japanese chef, stole the chef's name and identity, and moved into various Japanese cities, such as Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. While in Japan, he was suspected of kidnapping a Japanese citizen and working in a North Korean organization to undermine South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. In 1985, he was arrested by the South Korean police, and was jailed for life.
In 1999, the South Korean government decided to release him. In 2000 he was resettled to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
along with 62 other unconverted long-term prisoners
Unconverted long-term prisoners
Unconverted long-term prisoners is the North Korean term for communist spies and guerillas imprisoned in South Korea who never renounced communism.-History:...
under the terms of the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration. He was regarded as a hero upon his return.
While under South Korean interrogation, he admitted that Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
directly ordered the abduction of several foreigners. In 2006, the Japanese government made an extradition request to the North Korean Ambassador, Song Il-Ho, at the Japan-North Korea meeting in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. The North Korean ambassador subsequently refused, calling him a hero of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
.