A South Korean pastor was indicted on charges of secretly entering North Korea to celebrate the birthday of the late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The pastor, a U.S. resident who was identified only by his surname Hong, is accused of visiting the communist state in April without government approval, and taking part in celebrations of the late leader's birth on April 15. He is also charged with praising the North Korean regime and meeting government officials during his stay there.

South Korea's National Security Law prohibits any activity that is sympathetic to the Pyongyang regime, including the formation of pro-North Korea groups, contacting North Koreans without government permission and distributing publications praising the North.

Hong traveled with a group of up to six other North Korea sympathizers, but the others returned directly to the U.S., while the pastor stopped in South Korea on his way back, prompting prosecutors to ban his departure, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said.

Hong's group belongs to an alliance of North Korea sympathizers in the U.S. that has sent a delegation to North Korea every year since 2001 to celebrate Kim Il-sung's birthday, prosectors said. (Yonhap News)