Shouting "Long live national reunification," a South Korean activist who spent more than three months in North Korea without his government's approval stepped over the line dividing the North and South, and was promptly arrested on Thursday.
The stunt by No Su-hui, 68, was designed to draw attention to the division of the Korean Peninsula.
He had gone to Pyongyang from China in March without Seoul's permission, defying a law that prohibits South Koreans from travelling to North Korea without government approval, officials in Seoul said.
He was arrested immediately after his return, police in Seoul said.
Associated Press video showed South Korean officials in suits grabbing a defiant and resistant No just after he stepped over the demarcation line inside the Demilitarised Zone as South Korean soldiers snapped photographs at close distance.
On the other side of the border, soldiers and officials stood watching the melee as crowds of North Koreans waved white "unified Korea" flags.
Turning around to face crowds of cheering North Koreans before stepping over the line, No raised his arms and shouted "Long live national reunification, by our nation itself," a white unified Korea flag in his right hand and a bouquet of flowers in his left.
At the end, you will also see footage of a protest by conservatives against him where they burn him in effigy and act out putting him into a coffin. AP's description:
Wide of anti-North Korea protesters chanting in front of a fake North Korean rocket in a protest against No's trip to North Korea
Mid of protesters chanting and holding placards
Various of burning effigies of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and No
Protesters putting a man who is wearing a mask with a picture of No on it, inside a coffin
Protesters sealing the coffin
Protesters carrying the coffin
Protesters tearing apart a North Korean flag with picture of Kim Jong Un on it
Wide of protesters chanting while holding North Korean flag
Various of protester spraying red paint over the picture of Kim Jong Un on a North Korean flag
Protesters holding signs, reading (Korean) "Pro-North Korea activist, No Su-hui, no permission to enter South Korea"
He spent 4 years in prison (released in 2016), followed by 3 years of stripped suffrage. The Wiki article notes that another activist, Won Jin-wook, "received a three-year prison sentence for communicating with North Korean officials to arrange Ro's trip".
afellowkid in korea
(2012 AP footage) S. Korean activist No Su-hui arrested as he returns from unauthorised trip to the North, plus anti-North protest footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtiCNzuVp4YAt the end, you will also see footage of a protest by conservatives against him where they burn him in effigy and act out putting him into a coffin. AP's description:
Wiki page about this person: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roh_Su-hui
He spent 4 years in prison (released in 2016), followed by 3 years of stripped suffrage. The Wiki article notes that another activist, Won Jin-wook, "received a three-year prison sentence for communicating with North Korean officials to arrange Ro's trip".
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