North Korean Spy Ring Leader Served in USFK

Joong Ang Ilbo is reporting that the leader of the spy ring once served in the US Army:

The Seoul Central District Public Prosecutors Office and the National Intelligence Service said Mr. Jang had joined the U.S. military in 1989 when he was a permanent resident of the United States and served at Yongsan Garrison, the headquarters base of U.S. Forces Korea, for four years. He obtained U.S. citizenship in 1993. They accused him of having paid his first visit to North Korea in 1989, just before joining the U.S. Army. He allegedly traveled there again in 1993, joining the North Korean Workers Party that year.

Mr. Jang is suspected of having operated as an undercover agent for Pyongyang since then, the prosecution and intelligence service sources said. In 1997, he was said to have organized a group of former student activists targeted at gathering information from members of political parties and civic groups.

It will be interesting to see what legal action the US government would be able to take against this guy in regards to he had to have lied about his North Korean ties in order to enlist into the Army not to mention whatever espionage activity he may have been part of at Yongsan. If President Roh tries to stop the investigation it will interesting to see if the US pursues it instead.

HT: One Free Korea