German Lawyer Calls for Song's Release
        
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

A visiting German human rights lawyer on Monday called for the
release of Song Du-yul, a Korean-German professor convicted of
violating the anti-communist law, whose case is currently
under review by an appeal court.

``Many German government, political and academic leaders are
paying attention to this case,’’ Hans Eberhard Schultz, 61,
told a news conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.
``All Germans hope South Korea will make proper efforts to
resolve Song’s case. His case has a symbolic meaning in that
it will test South Korea’s capabilities to overcome legal and
ideological adversities.’’

Schultz arrived in Seoul on Saturday as a representative of
German lawyers’ groups to meet Song and Korean human rights
lawyers. He will attend a third hearing by an appeal court
tomorrow.

Song, a sociology professor at Germany's Muenster University,
is being jailed after being convicted of violating the
National Security Law. He was sentenced on March 30 to seven
years in prison for working for communist North Korea. The key
charge was that he had served as a secret member of the
decision-making politburo of North Korea’s ruling Worker's
Party, a claim denied by him.

Schultz said he visited a detention center in Seoul where Song
has been held since he arrived in Korea in September 2003. The
lawyer found Song’s situation was much worse than he had
expected.

``I can’t help but point out that every condition in the
detention center is not to my satisfaction,’’ he said.
``There is no chair, no convenience facilities for Song. Bulbs
shed light on his room 24 hours. These conditions make Song’s
health worse. This is an obvious human rights violation.’’

Song’s trial is being held as civic groups are joining hands
to scrap the National Security Law with ruling and opposition
politicians set to have serious debates whether to keep the
anti-communist law, which has been criticized by many for
oppressing democracy and human rights here for half a century.
Last month, 48 German political and academic leaders delivered
a statement calling for Song’s release to the presidential
office of Chong Wa Dae. Also, 175 Korean students studying in
Germany filed a petition to the appeal court early this month
to ask for his release.

Shultz pointed out that words and phrases in the security law
defining acts that deserve punishment are stated too ambiguous
and everyone in South Korea can be made out to be criminals at
the authorities’ will.

``Laws should clearly tell citizens why they violated laws and
which punishment they will get for the violations. But in the
South Korean security laws, many words can have different
meanings depending on their interpretation,’’ he said.

``Also, the Korean court convicted Song although there is no
clear evidence showing Song’s role in the North Korean party.
This should be dealt with clearly by the appellate court.’’