Prosecutors Arrest An Mo, Chairman of APTA, on Suspicion of Illegal North Korea Remittances

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] The prosecution investigating allegations of illegal remittances to North Korea involving Ssangbangwool Group and the Asia-Pacific Peace Exchange Association (APPEA) has confirmed the emergency arrest of the APPEA chairman.

According to legal circles on the 9th, the Criminal Division 6 of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-nam) apprehended Chairman Ahn in the afternoon on charges including violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and is currently transferring him to the prosecution.

After Chairman Ahn went into hiding last month, the prosecution obtained an arrest warrant and pursued him. It is reported that Ahn was caught by the prosecution at a hideout in northern Seoul on the same day. The prosecution believes that in January 2019, Ssangbangwool Group, mobilizing dozens of executives and employees, smuggled tens of millions of dollars worth of US currency to China, with Chairman Ahn also involved in the process.

In this regard, the prosecution conducted a forced search of Chairman Ahn's residence on the 14th of last month. So far, the prosecution has been investigating on the premise that the smuggled dollars were delivered to North Korea.

Recently, evidence was found that Ssangbangwool transferred 1.5 million dollars and APPEA transferred 500,000 dollars to the North. The source of funds and whether there was any quid pro quo are under investigation. Additionally, the prosecution is examining whether funds from Gyeonggi Province's support were channeled into APPEA's remittances to North Korea.

Gyeonggi Province provided APPEA with over 2 billion won in support for two 'Asia-Pacific Peace and Prosperity International Conferences' held in 2018 and 2019, as well as for a project in April 2019 supplying flour for North Korean children's meals and saplings for fine dust reduction.

The prosecution plans to conduct an intensive investigation into Chairman Ahn, who was arrested today, focusing on the background and circumstances of the US dollar smuggling and remittances to North Korea, before considering whether to request an arrest warrant for him.