2010-08-24 15:44

PYONGYANG -- A religious group in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday urged South Korea to release a priest, who was arrested after visiting Pyongyang, the official news agency KCNA reported.

Han Sang Ryol was detained upon his entry into South Korea after his journey to the DPRK.

A spokesman for the Central Committee of the Christian Federation of Korea issued a statement to accuse South Korea's intention of "eliminating progressive figures of the reunification movement."

The South Korean authorities should "immediately retract the legal action against him and set him free at once," said the spokesman.

The statement appealed to Koreans for vigilance against the intention of South Korean authorities and for unity to resolutely frustrate its anti-reunification moves.

The statement also expressed hopes that the progressive priests of South Korea would express support and solidarity with the just action of Han.

If the South Korean authorities finally takes a legal action against Han, it will "stand cursed and denounced by all Koreans for being a group of anti-reunification elements," said the spokesman.

Han was called a pro-reunification figure by the DPRK's media. He arrived in Pyongyang on June 12 and returned to South Korea via Panmunjom on August 20.