Japanese political activist charged with vandalism of South Korean comfort women monument

Feb 19, 2013 Cherrie Lou Billones National 18

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Nobuyuki Suzuki, a member of a right-wing Japanese political group, was indicted for allegedly vandalizing two monuments in Seoul, South Korea. According to prosecutors on Sunday, February 17, they have charged Suzuki for placing a sign at a memorial statue near Japan’s embassy in South Korea, which read “Takeshima belongs to Japan” in the Korean language, on June 19th of last year. He has also been charged with defamation of the dead for insulting Korean freedom fighter Yoon Bong-gil by placing a similar sign on his monument.

Korean comfort women filed a case with the prosecutors on July 4, 2012 regarding the incident at the Japanese embassy, but Suzuki never responded to the prosecutors. Similarly, last September the Yoon Bong-gil Memorial Foundation filed a case with the prosecutor because not only did Suzuki place said sign on Yoon’s monument, but he also posted a photo of it on his blog with text about “a Korean terrorist.”

Since Suzuki has already left South Korea, the prosecutors in Seoul said that if he does not return, the case will proceed with a trial in absentia. They will use the videos and photos on his blog as evidence against him that would justify his indictment. Should he be found guilty, the South Korean government may request extradition under the bilateral agreement between it and Japan. Whether or not Japan will respond positively is an entirely different matter.

[via Chosunilbo]

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• Comfort women, Crime, Dokdo, Extradition, Monument, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Seoul, South Korea, Takeshima, Territorial disputes, Vandalism