A Korean-American woman accused of praising rival North Korea in a recent lecture was deported from South Korea today, in the latest in a series of cases that critics say infringe on the country's freedom of speech.
The Korea Immigration Service decided to deport Shin Eun-mi, a California resident, after prosecutors determined that her comments violated South Korea's National Security Law, agency official Kim Du-yeol said.
Shin departed the country on a flight to the US on this evening, another immigration official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules.
"Frankly speaking, I feel like I'm betrayed by someone who I have a crush on," Shin told reporters before her departure. She said she hopes to be able to return to both Koreas.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Shin had been barred from exiting South Korea for three weeks, and the US has seen reports indicating the prosecution has asked for her to be deported and banned from the country for five years.
In a rare note of criticism of a key ally, Psaki said that despite South Korea's generally strong record on human rights, the security law limits freedom of expression and restricts access to the Internet.
Shin posted stories about her trips to North Korea on OhmyNews, a popular South Korean online news site. Her book on her trips was included in a government-designated reading list in 2013, but the Culture Ministry removed it this week.
Ministry officials said they will seek to retrieve 1,200 copies that were distributed to libraries across South Korea.
