Korean Pro-North Priest Investigated By Prosecution

Chang-Shin Park a Jeonju diocese senior priest is being investigated by the Joenju District Prosecutors Office.  The priest made peculiar remarks defending the 2010 shelling by North Korea of a South Korean occupied island on the West Coast of Korea. The shelling led to the death of two Korean civilians and a Korean Marine.  The argument justified the shelling by noting that North Korea, inter alia, is just protecting its territory as South Korea is doing on Dokdo Island. 

A priest justifying the killing of civilians by North Korea for purposes of defending tiny islets seems a little peculiar to this observer and seems to show that Korea has a radical liberal element that may be more pro North than South. 

The comments by Chang-Shin Park was slammed by other priests and also the nation’s president.  A group of priests are considering reporting the actions of Park to the Vatican.

Seemingly, the priest would be prosecuted under the National Security Law.

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Sean Hayes may be contacted at: SeanHayes@ipglegal.com.

Sean Hayes is co-chair of the Korea Practice Team and Entertainment, Media and New Tech Law Team at IPG Legal. He is the first non-Korean attorney to have worked for the Korean court system (Constitutional Court of Korea) and one of the first non-Koreans to be a regular member of a Korean law faculty. He assists clients in their contentious, non-contentious and business developments needs in Korea and China.