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수원지검은 20일 국가보안법 위반 혐의로 고발된 수원 삼성 블루윙즈 정대세(29) 선수 사건을 공안부에 배당해 수사에 착수했다고 밝혔다.
보수 논객 변희재가 회장으로 있는 한국인터넷미디어협회로 지난 14일 정대세가 과거에 해외 방송을 통해 북한을 찬양해 국가보안법을 위반했다고 검찰에 고발했다.
한국인터넷미디어협회에 따르면 정 선수는 “김정일을 존경하며 믿고 따른다,” “ 내 조국은 북한”이라고 말한 바가 있다고 한다.
검찰은 “고발장이 접수된 만큼 법리 검토 등을 하기 위한 기초 조사에 들어갔다”고 밝혔다.
일본에서 태어난 정 선수는 대한민국 국적을 갖고 있지만 일본에서 조총련계 학교를 졸업하고 2007년 북한 축구 대표팀에 발탁되기도 했다.
그는 국제축구연맹(FIFA)의 중재에 따라 한국 국적임에도 북한 대표팀에서 뛸 수 있었고 이후 2010 남아공 월드컵에 북한대표팀 선수로 출전했다.
그는 2013년 수원 삼성과 계약했는데, 국적 논란으로 인해 일부 팬들 사이에서 반발이 일었다. 심지어 어떤 이들은 정 선수가 올스타에 선발되지 못하도록 라이벌 선수를 위해 투표하자는 운동을 벌이기도 했으며, 투표 초반까지 해당 포지션 득표 1위를 달리던 정 선수는 결국 팬투표로 인해 올스타에 선발되는데 실패했다.
그러나 그는 감독추천 선수로 선발되어 이번 올스타전에 출전할 수 있게 되었다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Prosecutors probes soccer player over pro-North statements
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 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 who declare himself a citizen of a hostile country. Jong has indicated multiple times 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)
