By Associated Press
New York — A Queens man held in South Korea since February on charges he violated that country’s national security law has been released on bail, Newsday reported.
Song Hak-sam, 56, a naturalized American citizen, was freed May 24 but must remain in South Korea for his trial, Karolina Walkin, a consular affairs spokeswoman at the U.S. State Department, told the newspaper.
Song’s wife, Sook Song, told Newsday her husband was released on $10,000 bail and was staying with his brother in Seoul.
Song is charged for his role in publishing a controversial book that allegedly praised communist North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Il. He was arrested in late February for allegedly violating the country’s National Security Law, which bans “praising or expressing open sympathy” for North Korea. The book, titled Kim Jong Il’s Unification Strategy, was written by Kim Myong Chol, a member of a Tokyo-based group of Koreans who are sympathetic to North Korea’s communist regime.
A South Korean publisher printed the book and distributed it to some bookstores before the book was banned. Song was accused of helping to translate and publish the book. |
