Prosecutors on Thursday begin investigating professional soccer player Jong Tae-se of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings after a conservative critic accused him of violating South Korea’s National Security Law. 

 

According to the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, the investigators are looking into the case and reviewing legal grounds concerning the allegation after online columnist Byun Hee-jae filed a complaint against Jong last Friday.

Byun claimed that Jong had violated the National Security Law by praising Pyongyang, according to Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office.

“In the past, Jong had said via foreign broadcasters that he ‘looks up to (former North Korean leader) Kim Jong-il and that his fatherland is North Korea,” Byun said.

The 29-year-old playing in South Korea has been a topic of heated debate among soccer fans. Although three North Korean soccer players have already played here, the nuclear threats and tough rhetoric by the communist country led to elevated tension between the two Koreas and prompted anti-Pyongyang sentiments among many South Koreans.

Jong was born in Japan and is legally a South Korean citizen, but he attended school in the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), which led him to identify himself as a North Korean.

North Korea issued a passport to Jong, making him eligible to play for its national team under FIFA rules. He played for the North Korean team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Suwon signed Jong in 2013, a decision which raised eyebrows of those who disapproved a player declaring himself a citizen of a hostile country. Jong reportedly has indicated that he is a North Korean, and was even seen crying while the country’s anthem was being played prior to a World Cup game in 2010.

Some soccer fans attempted to prevent him from being selected as a starter in the 2013 K League All-star game by voting for his rivals instead. Their interference seemingly worked as Jong, after leading his position in votes early on, was left out of the all-star starting team.

Jong was eventually selected by coaches to play as a bench player at the all-star game.



By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyooN@heraldcorp.com)