South Korea: Appeal on behalf of Chong Yong

Chong Yong is serving a life sentence, charged under the National Security Law with spying for North Korea. AI is concerned about reports that he was convicted on the basis of a confession extracted under torture. Originally a farmer on Mibop Island, he began to fish the waters around the island in the 1960s to earn extra money. On one of these fishing trips he was allegedly kidnapped and held in North Korea for 20 days. The family later moved to Inchon, where he worked for Inchon Steel Company. He was arrested on 13 September 1983 and accused of espionage for North Korea. He claims that he was incommunicado for 40 days after arrest and forced to confess to being a spy. His wife was also interrogated and allegedly tortured. AI is appealing for an inquiry into these claims of torture.

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