Police Refer Four "Jajusibo" Officials for National Security Act Violations

Officials from the online media outlet "Jajusibo" have been referred to prosecutors on charges of praising and encouraging North Korea.

According to the police on September 14, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency referred four individuals, including Kim, the head of Jajusibo, as well as former and current reporters, to the prosecution without detention last month on charges of violating the National Security Act.

The police believe that these individuals produced or distributed pro-North Korean materials through the Jajusibo website. They are accused of amplifying and reproducing North Korea's claims by publishing reports containing unilateral North Korean assertions, such as the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea, or by featuring similar opinion pieces. It is also reported that quoting, editing, and commenting on original articles from North Korea's Rodong Sinmun was considered a violation of the National Security Act.

The National Security Act prohibits praising, encouraging, propagating, or sympathizing with anti-state organizations, their members, or those acting under their direction.

The police conducted a search and seizure of Jajusibo officials in October last year, and after they refused to comply with summons for questioning, executed arrest warrants and investigated them in July. Jajusibo claims that investigative agencies are abusing the National Security Act to target and suppress progressive media through surveillance.

Meanwhile, Lee, the late former head of "Jajuminbo," the predecessor of Jajusibo, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison by the Supreme Court in 2013 on charges including communicating with North Korean agents.