A team from the ‘Committee for the Release of North Korea Human Rights Activist Kim Young Hwan’ and Hwang Woo Yea, the chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, met today to discuss what the National Assembly can do to expedite the release of Kim and three other South Korean civilians being detained in China.

The committee’s spokesperson, Choi Hong Jae, commented immediately after the meeting, “We asked him, as the head of the ruling party here, to send a letter to the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao, urging the release of Kim and the other men.”

He added, “We requested that the National Assembly establish a release delegation to send to China, and also adopt a resolution urging the release of Kim and the other men.” The committee also plans to meet with the opposition Democratic United Party to request their assistance in passing the resolution.

Choi commented also on Hwang’s appreciation of the situation, saying, “He knew in detail and seemed very sad about it.” Hwang has already asked the relevant government departments and President Lee himself to look into the situation, and urged China to allow consular and legal access.

Kim and the three South Korean men at the forefront of the North Korean Human Rights movement were arrested in Liaoning Province, China on March 29th. Kim is currently being held by the Ministry of State Security in Dandong, allegedly on charges related to national security.