"Send me to North Korea"... 50s Defector Who Escaped Twice Receives Prison Sentence in Appeal Trial

At the North Korean Embassy in Vietnam, Attempted Re-entry Saying "Send Me to North Korea"
First Defected in 1998, Returned to North Korea in 2000, Then Defected Again

A man in his 50s with a history of re-entering North Korea attempted to re-enter again and was sentenced to imprisonment.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] A man in his 50s with a history of re-entering North Korea attempted to enter North Korea again and was sentenced to prison in the appellate court.

The Incheon District Court Criminal Appeals Division 2 (Chief Judge Lee Hyun-seok) announced on the 24th that Yoo Mo (54), who was prosecuted for infiltration and escape under the National Security Act, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, the same as in the first trial.

Yoo was charged with attempting to re-enter North Korea by visiting the North Korean Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam on August 4, 2019, and requesting to be sent to North Korea.

However, at that time, North Korean authorities suspected Yoo of being a spy and did not permit his entry. Five days later, Chinese public security arrested Yoo, who tried to illegally enter China and cross into North Korea.

Previously, he had defected from North Korea once in 1998 and went to North Korea in 2000 to bring his wife back, but then returned to South Korea again.

At that time, Yoo was punished domestically for violating the Act on Exchange and Cooperation between South and North Korea (entry into North Korea).

Meanwhile, in 2004, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison and 10 years of medical custody for attempted murder after trying to kill his younger half-brother with a weapon.

Afterwards, Yoo received medical custody at a psychiatric hospital in Naju, Jeollanam-do, but in August 2017, he damaged his electronic ankle bracelet and escaped. He was caught after 78 days and sentenced to 8 months in prison.

The appellate court stated the sentencing reason, saying, "Both the defendant and the prosecutor appealed on the grounds that the first trial's sentencing was unfair," and "Compared to the original trial, there are no new circumstances to reflect in sentencing at the appellate trial."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.