Defector Says American Detained in North Korea for Alleged Spying Is Christian Pastor
The Korean-American currently detained in North Korea for alleged espionage is a Christian pastor who came to the country for a humanitarian mission, a defector said.
On Monday, Kim Dong-chul spoke to CNN and said he was arrested in North Korea and October because he was caught spying for "South Korean conservative elements" who wanted to overthrow Kim Jong-un from his position. Contrary to his statement, defector Ma Young-ae said she had met Kim in 2007 and said he was a missionary who was helping North Koreans, according to The Guardian.
"He told the churches that he was a missionary working on North Korea and sending stuff from China into the North to help poor North Koreans," the Guardian quotes Ma's statement.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Ma, who is a missionary currently based in New York, said she recognized Kim after seeing him on television. She added that the Korean-American had previously told her that he was traveling through Rason and transporting medical aid to North Korea, the report relays.
Simon Park, another pastor, echoed Ma's statement and said he had attended church gatherings in the United States with Kim. He also told Voice of America that the detained Korean-American spoke to him over the phone from Pyongyang four years ago during one of his trips to North Korea.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has refused to comment on Kim's situation. The department said any public statement about detained Americans can affect efforts to have them freed, NBC News reports.
It is worth noting that when Kim confessed to CNN this week that he was involved in spying activities, North Korean officials were present during the interview. There are speculations that his statement was made under duress, the report details.
CNN's interview with Kim Dong-chul, who claims he was arrested for espionage, comes days after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, which angered China and the United States. The country is currently being sanctioned by the United Nations over its nuclear programs.
