N. Korean embassy raid group preparing for event

The group that claimed responsibility for the raid on the North Korean embassy in Madrid in February, said on Monday that it was preparing for a major event.

The Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) group, also known as "Free Joseon", made the announcement on its website and said it would remain silent until the event, reports Efe news.

The group added in the message - written in the Korean language - that many articles published about the CCD contain elements that are not true and asked the media to respect the anonymity of its members and publish only verified details about the organisation.

In that regard, it said it has not been in touch with North Korean defectors residing in South Korea and urged the media not to trust refugees who speak about "Free Joseon" or those who impersonate members of the organization.

South Korean media have published articles in which the North Korean deserters have said they have been in contact with the CCD and have given details about their alleged activities.

The message of the organisation comes a day after North Korea commented for the first time on the attack which occurred on February 22.

Pyongyang described the raid as a "grave terrorist attack" and asked the Spanish authorities to conduct an in-depth investigation to find those responsible for it and bring them to justice.

During the raid, which was claimed by the CCD last week, the embassy staff was tied up and beaten by a group of 10 armed men, who later decamped with computers and equipment, according to a document published by Spain's High Court.

The judge leading the investigation has asked the US for the extradition of two men, both of Korean origin but holding a Mexican and an American passport respectively, who are believed to the ringleaders of the group and currently in Washington.

The CCD, which has not yet stated the objective of the attack on the embassy, first surfaced online in March 2017 when it claimed it had protected the son of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who was murdered at a Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017.

It has also declared itself a North Korean government in exile and claimed the Pyongyang regime has committed crimes against humanity.

--IANS

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