The North Korean Human Rights activist and Evangelist, Kim Hee Tae, 37, was recently arrested while helping North Korean defectors in Laos and the Christian Social Responsibility. He made a statement on the 7th urging ‘Laos ambassadors and consulates not protecting their own country’s people, to immediately take responsibility for their actions.’
The Christian Social Responsibility asserted that the “Department of Immigration revealed, if their nationality can be confirmed through the South Korean Embassy, they (abductees) would be immediately released from Luang Prabang. Although full protection of it’s people following the Consulate’s 3-step process of identity confirmation, Ambassador Kim Kwang Shik replied ‘Laos is currently in a difficult situation, and cannot intervene in this incident, thus nothing can be confirmed.’ ”
Furthermore, the Christian Social Responsibility urged “Immediate dismissal of the diplomatic officials who do not know what one’s basic duty is” and that “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade should immediately confirm the identity of Kim Hee Tae and one other Korean person currently imprisoned at ‘Luang Prabang’ and take appropriate measures.’
It has been ascertained that evangelist Kim was mistaken as a perpetrator of the slave trade while enabling 10 defectors to escape in Laos. On the 2nd of June, he was arrested, and is now in custody at Luang Prabang Police Station, in the northwest region of Laos.
