Song's first hearing held at Seoul court  

The Seoul District Court yesterday held the first trial of
South Korean-German dissident scholar Song Du-yul who was
indicted last month on charges of violating the strict
National Security Law. 

The prosecution accused Song, a sociology professor at a
German university, of having engaged in pro-North Korean
activities for the past two decades and failing to show a
repentant attitude that would make him eligible for lenient
treatment. 

Song, who returned home in September after 37 years in exile,
admitted joining North Korea's ruling Workers' Party but has
denied acting as its Politburo member as alleged by South
Korean authorities. 

The prosecution and lawyers for Song are expected to engage in
a heated debate over Song's controversial Politburo membership
and the legal validity of his testimony made in the absence of
a lawyer. 

About 50 lawyers with progressive views are joining forces to
defend Song, who has pledged to discard his German citizenship
in order to live and study in his homeland. 

An activists' group formed to petition for his early release
held a rally outside the court, denouncing the criminal
proceedings against him as unjust. 

They also handed over a letter signed by more than 900 German
scholars and civic officials to the panel of judges handling
Song's case asking for his release. 

(khkim@heraldm.com)