Sungkyunkwan University Democratic Alumni Association Urges Resignation of Police Director Kim Sun-ho Amid 'Prakchi Controversy'

"Betraied and Even Informed on Fellow Democracy Activists"
Choi Dong Martyr's Sister: "Kneel and Apologize in Front of Brother's Grave"

Kim Soon-ho, the inaugural Minister of the Interior and Safety's Police Bureau, is entering the Police Bureau office set up at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] Alumni of Sungkyunkwan University have called for the resignation of Kim Sunho, the inaugural Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who is suspected of having informed on his fellow labor movement activists and receiving a special police appointment as a result.

On the 12th, the Sungkyunkwan University Democratic Alumni Association held a press conference in front of the Government Seoul Office, stating, “We cannot contain our deep sorrow over the appointment of someone who betrayed and informed on comrades in the democratization movement as Police Bureau Director,” and “We urge Director Kim to resign and apologize.”

At the press conference, Choi Sookhee, the younger sister of martyr Choi Dong, who was tortured after being taken to the Anti-Communist Investigation Division during his labor activism and later suffered from its aftereffects leading to his tragic death, also attended. Martyr Choi was one year senior to Director Kim at university and a fellow member of the labor movement group Incheon-Bucheon Democratic Workers' Association (Innohoe).

Ms. Choi said, “Director Kim was a junior whom my brother cherished and someone who often cooked meals for me when I was young,” adding, “I hope Director Kim kneels before my brother’s grave and apologizes, and remembers my father who passed away shortly after the 49th-day memorial service for my brother.”

Director Kim is suspected of having been forcibly conscripted in 1983 during his student activism and acted as an informant (agent) under the ideological reeducation program. After his military discharge, Kim was active in Innohoe but disappeared in April 1989. Subsequently, many of his colleagues were arrested on charges including violations of the National Security Law, with 15 detained, while Kim was reportedly specially recruited by the police in August of the same year as an agent for anti-communist operations.

Meanwhile, when asked on the previous day’s MBC radio program ‘Kim Jongbae’s Focus’ why he did not attend martyr Choi’s funeral or memorial service, Director Kim said, “I want to apologize repeatedly,” but also explained, “To never return to the Juche faction, I had to make an irreversible choice and thus chose the path of anti-communist police.”