Kim Dong Chul (born 1953) is a Korean-American businessman who was imprisoned by the government of North Korea (DPRK) in October 2015 and sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for espionage.[1] Following his release, Kim has admitted to working with the South Korea's National Intelligence Service and the United States' Central Intelligence Agency.[2]
Kim Dong Chul | |
|---|---|
 Kim (center) with President Donald Trump after his release in 2018 | |
| Born | 1953 (age 70–71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Detainment | |
| Country |  North Korea |
| Detained | October 2015 |
| Released | May 9, 2018 |
| Days in detention | 950 |
| Sentence | Ten years of hard labor |
| Reason for detention | Espionage[1] |
Kim was one of three U.S. citizens imprisoned in that country to be released on May 9, 2018.[3] The others were Tony Kim, also known as Kim Sang-duk (arrested on April 21, 2017), and Kim Hak-song (arrested on May 7, 2017).[1][4][5]
Early life
editKim was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1953. In 1980, he emigrated to the U.S., later becoming a Baptist pastor and a naturalized U.S. citizen.[6][7] He settled in Fairfax, Virginia.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
In 2000, Kim moved to China with his wife, a Chinese Korean, to work as a missionary. He subsequently applied to enter North Korea, and by 2004 was residing in the Rason Special Economic Zone, where he built a hotel.[2][14][6]
Imprisonment in North Korea
editKim was arrested in October 2015.[1][7] His status was not publicly known until January 2016, when North Korean authorities introduced him to a CNN crew visiting Pyongyang. CNN was allowed to interview Kim, but only through an interpreter.[14][15] In March 2016, he appeared at a government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang and "apologized for trying to steal military secrets in collusion with South Koreans"; the South Korean authorities have denied any involvement.[1] In April 2016, North Korea sentenced Kim to 10 years of hard labor for espionage and other crimes.[1]
Kim's arrest and captivity, according to Russell Goldman of The New York Times, followed a pattern also seen with other detentions of U.S. nationals by North Korea: "A forced confession, a show trial, a sentence to years of hard labor with little chance of appeal."[1]
Release
edit
On May 9, 2018, several news outlets reported that Kim and fellow American detainees Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak-song had been granted amnesty following a meeting between Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang to discuss details of the planned summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.[16][17][3] The three men, alongside Pompeo, landed at Andrews Air Force Base shortly before 3 am eastern on May 10, thereby concluding a 17-month struggle by the Trump Administration to secure their release.[18][3] A subsequent joint statement by the three men, and released via the State Department, states: 'We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home...We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world.'[19]
Admission of espionage
editIn an interview with NK News published on July 29, 2019, Kim admitted that he was spying for the American CIA and South Korean NIS since 2009.[2][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Goldman, Russell (April 25, 2017). "Imprisoned in North Korea: The Cases of 3 Americans". The New York Times..
- ^ a b c Ji, Dagyum (July 29, 2019). "Prisoner number 429: Kim Dong-chul's three-year detention in North Korea". NK News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ a b c Gaouette, Nicole (May 9, 2018). "Pompeo's 13 hours in North Korea". CNN. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- ^ Bacon, John. "North Korea seizes another American citizen as crisis heats up". USA Today. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ "North Korea releases U.S. detainees, bows to another Trump demand". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ a b c Choe, Sang-Hun (August 9, 2019). "Missionary, Businessman, Prisoner, Spy: An American's Odyssey in North Korea". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Watson, Ivan; Yang, Yuli; Ullah, Zahra (April 24, 2017). "North Korea detains US citizen as tensions rise". CNN.
- ^ Murphy, Brian (March 25, 2016). "North Korea displays detainee identified as American accused of spying". Washington Post. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "US man Kim Dong Chul 'admits stealing North Korea secrets'". BBC News. March 25, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Man Detained in North Korea Confesses to Spying for South". The New York Times. March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ Ripley, Will (March 25, 2016). "North Korean official: Korean-American confessed to espionage charges". CNN. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ Kim, Jack; Pearson, James (March 25, 2016). "Korean-American in North Korea confesses to stealing secrets: media". Reuters. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Defector: Korean-American Detained in N. Korea Was Pastor". Voice of America. January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ a b Schwarz, Tim; Ripley, Will; Griffiths, James (January 11, 2016). "North Korea reveals alleged U.S. prisoner to CNN". CNN. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ "American citizen Kim Dong Chul reportedly arrested by North Korea, accused of spying". CBS News. January 11, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ Jamieson, Alastair (May 9, 2018). "American detainees freed from North Korea, Trump says". NBCNews.com. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Three Americans released from North Korean custody". Q13 FOX (KCPQ). May 9, 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Rogers, Katie (May 10, 2018). "Trump Greets 3 American Detainees Freed From North Korea". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- ^ Lee, Matthew; et al. (May 10, 2018). "President Trump Welcomes U.S. Detainees Freed from North Korea". Time. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.