Russia detains S. Korean man on ’espionage charges’, for handing over classified information

한국인, 러시아서 간첩 혐의 첫 체포 모스크바에 구금 Russia’s state media says that a South Korean man was arrested earlier this year, and is currently being detained on charges of spying. Moscow has been detaining several foreign nationals since its invasion of Ukraine, but it’s the first such case to be reported involving a South Korean national. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji has more. Russia has detained a South Korean man, on suspicions of espionage. The state-run media outlet, Tass news agency reported late on Monday night that the man, identified as Baek Won-soon was arrested in Vladivostok earlier this year, for “handing over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies.“ Baek reportedly moved from China to Vladivostok in January, where he was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service a few days after his arrival. In late February, he was transferred to Moscow, and is being held in custody at Lefortovo Prison. Seoul’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that it has been providing consular assistance since it became aware of the arrest. But it refused to comment further on any details, including why he was arrested and when the South Korean government was notified of the matter. “Our government has been communicating with Russia, so that our citizen can safely return home to his family as soon as possible.“ Sources in Vladivostok have reportedly told South Korean local media outlets that Baek was a religious worker and that he had been indirectly supporting North Korean laborers working in Russia, helping them escape. This is the first reported case involving a South Korean national, but is just the latest in a series of arrests of foreigners made by the Russian authorities, since the start of the war in Ukraine. American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained last March on espionage charges, and another journalist Alsu Kurmsasheva, who holds U.S. and Russian citizenship, was also arrested for spreading “false information“ about the Russian military. This latest detention has sparked concerns that it could worsen already strained relations between South Korea and Russia. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News. #SouthKorea #Russia #Korean #Detain #Arrest #Espionage #대한민국 #러시아 #한국인 #간첩_혐의 #체포 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-03-12, 18:00 (KST)