Trade union officials accused of espionage released on bail

Three trade union officials accused of conducting espionage and other subversive activities on behalf of North Korea have been released on bail, according to justice officials on Friday.

Officials from the police and the National Intelligence Service carry out a raid on the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions's medical workers' organization in Yeondeungpo District, western Seoul, in January. [NEWS1]

Three trade union officials accused of conducting espionage and other subversive activities on behalf of North Korea have been released on bail, according to justice officials on Friday.

The trio, who are all members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), were indicted in May on charges of violating National Security by contacting North Korean agents in China and Cambodia and carrying out protests on orders from Pyongyang.

Their bail, which was granted by the Suwon District Court, is conditional on their attending trial hearings, not making contact with each other or each other’s families, and reporting travel plans that exceed three days to the authorities.

The state prosecution service, police and National Intelligence Service mounted a massive investigation into the KCTU officials’ activities that included raids into their offices and homes, which uncovered 90 North Korean-issued directives and 24 reports they wrote to Pyongyang.

The documents were later deciphered and handed over to the court as evidence.

A lawyer involved in their defense told the JoongAng Ilbo that the trio “do not pose a flight risk” and that they would not attempt to destroy evidence.

All three, currently being held at a detention facility in Suwon, Gyeonggi, will soon be processed for release on bail.

Even if their request for bail had been denied, they would have been scheduled for release on Nov. 9.

Under South Korean law, defendants indicted on criminal charges can only be held in pre-trial detention for six months.

Another defendant in the same case was released on bail on Sept. 13.

All four deny the charges against them.

The next hearing in their case is scheduled to take place on Monday.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]