Vietnam protests S. Korea's rejection of its extradition request
HANOI - Vietnam has filed an official complaint with South Korea, protesting a Seoul court ruling that rejected its request to extradite a dissident leader accused of terrorism, South Korean officials here said Saturday.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry called in South Korea's ambassador Thursday right after it learned that a South Korean court turned down its request to extradite a dissident leader, Nguyen Huu Chanh.
"The vice foreign minister told me about his sour feelings," the South Korean envoy, Kim Eui-ki, said.
In retaliation, the Vietnamese official told Kim that his government has canceled plans to extradite South Korean criminal suspects in prison as well as to arrange meetings with Vietnamese leaders for visiting South Korean officials, a South Korean diplomatic source said.
"For the foreseeable future, the working relationship with the Vietnamese government will be very difficult," the source said, noting that there are some pending issues to be addressed in the run-up to Vietnam's hosting of this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Vietnam had campaigned hard to get the dissident to be extradited since he was arrested in Seoul in April by South Korean investigators acting on its request. Its top leaders had sent personal letter requesting South Korea's cooperation on the matter.
"I think I will have to prepare for some difficulties in negotiating new projects here. Especially, South Koreans should take extra caution in regards to public security affairs," a South Korean businessman here said, asking that he remain anonymous.
The Seoul High Court rejected the Vietnamese request, citing an international treaty under which South Korea is not bound to extradite suspects accused of political crimes. The court also noted that Vietnam is not a signatory to the 1998 International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing.
Supporters hail Chanh as a pro-democracy leader determined to free Vietnam from communism but Hanoi has long identified him as a terrorist involved in a series of failed attempts to bomb the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok in 2001 and various other state facilities in Vietnam between 1999 and 2000.
When he was reunited with his wife and sons in Seoul right after his release from prison on Thursday, Chanh, 57, vowed to intensify his campaign against the Vietnamese government.
After escaping from a Vietnamese prison in 1981, Chanh moved to the United States where he established a government-in-exile. Now he is secretary-general of its political organ Vietnamese National party.
He traveled to South Korea to raise funds for his anti-Vietnamese activities but it was a set-up orchestrated by the Vietnamese government, reports said. Although he lives in the U.S.
as a permanent resident, the dissident is legally a Vietnamese national, according to South Korean officials.
Yonhap News (.kr) - July 29, 2006.
A wrongful decision of Seoul High Court
Foreign press reported that the Seoul High Court of the Republic of Korea on July 27 refused to extradite to Vietnam Nguyen Huu Chanh, who has been wanted by Vietnam for terrorist acts. This is a wrongful decision which violates the international law on anti-terrorism and runs counter to the trend of increasing co-operation between the two countries.
Over 30 years ago, the Vietnamese people’s heroic struggle against the US aggressors for national independence and reunification was brought to a victorious end. After such a great victory, the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam had to experience innumerable difficulties to overcome the war consequences. They are now achieving initial encouraging achievements in the process of national renovation which helped improve significantly their better living conditions towards the target of a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised society. However, there remain some forces and elements who turn their back to the nation by launching many acts of sabotage against Vietnam. Nguyen Huu Chanh is not only one of these dangerous elements, but also assumes his true form as a terrorist.
On May 16, 2001, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City opened a trial against 36 out of a total 38 suspects caught in the terrorist acts masterminded by Nguyen Huu Chanh. The evidences including 37 kilograms of explosive, 40 detonators and wire prepared for their terrorist acts were shown at the court. As many as 33 of these Vietnamese elements living in Thailand and Cambodia had former convictions and offences. Others include four living in Vietnam and one in the US. At that time, Nguyen Huu Chanh was yet to be arrested.
According to the investigation files, Nguyen Huu Chanh was born in Binh Dinh and then moved to settle in the US. From 1992, he and some elements in exile established an organisation to launch activities against the Vietnamese State and people. He self-proclaimed chief of this organisation. They selected Thailand and Cambodia to recruit members and used as springboards for attacks on Vietnam. He was once arrested and expelled by the Government of Thailand. In early 1997, Nguyen Huu Chanh and some elements stealthily returned to Thailand and set up a base in Khlong Yai where he made promises to give money and promotion those Vietnamese people who had committed former convictions and offences and were shying away from law as well as credulous people if they joined his organisation. Later, he formed groups of criminals called “Bao Long detachments” and at the same time organised training courses before sending them to Vietnam to carry out acts of sabotage. They planned to use mines to destroy some public places.
After many failed attempts, in early 1999, the ringleaders called some criminals (being wanted for their criminal offences in Vietnam) from Cambodia to Thailand to discuss how to move explosives to Vietnam to use during important anniversaries. They selected Thao Cam Vien (Zoo and Botanical Garden) and the Central Park in Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Kieu Wharf, park, post office and church in Can Tho city.
They became so wicked as having sent some elements to throw grenades aimed at causing massive casualties during the death anniversary of Huynh Phu So, master of the Hoa Hao Buddhism. On March 25, 1999, the first group sneaked into Vietnam through Moc Bai bordergate. The other group came in later with explosives to where there is Uncle Ho’s Statue. In the evening of April 20, 1999, the police seized them together with evidences following the information provided by the local people. In the southwest, from March 21 to April 23, 1999, another group was discovered before they could carry out the plan of placing explosives at a number of cultural centres. They were caught shortly after passing Moc Bai bordergate. The security forces also prevented their attempt of using four cakes of explosives to destroy Ninh Kieu Wharf.
After hearing nothing from their expected explosions in Ho Chi Minh City, on April 21, this terrorist ogranisation sent one more group with four cakes of explosives along to destroy Tao Dan Park, but the police had been awaiting for their appearance. The ringleaders became madder and continued their terrorist plan. Some elements were arrested while using cameras to capture the locations they would plant explosives. The assessment results by the Ministry of Public Security showed that these explosives were of massive destruction.
In order to carry out his plot, Nguyen Huu Chanh sent 11 terrorist groups and explosives to Vietnam and promised to pay them a lot of money. However, all their attempts were timely prevented and many of Nguyen Huu Chanh’s accomplices were put on trial. The Ministry of Public Security issued a wanted notice against Nguyen Huu Chanh regarding his terror acts. Chanh is also being hunted worldwide by the International Interpol Office for weapon smuggling and terrorism.
In addition, Nguyen Huu Chanh is accused of organising the throwing of explosives and petrol bombs into the Vietnamese Embassies in London (England) in August 2000, in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) in April 2001, in Bangkok (Thailand) in June 2001, and in Manila (the Philippines) in September 2001. In April this year, the Interpol arrested Nguyen Huy Chanh in Seoul and detained him at the RoK’s Ministry of Justice. The Government of Vietnam had requested the RoK Government to extradite Nguyen Huu Chanh to Vietnam so that he will be tried in Vietnam for his terrorist acts. However, the Seoul High Court decided to release him regardless of reason and international law.
The ruling is unacceptable as it was made in the RoK, a country which has developed fine relations with Vietnam for many years now and has signed co-operation agreements in many fields, including an extradition treaty, with Vietnam. Since 1990 and following the signing of the treaty, the RoK has received active assistance from Vietnam regarding the proposal of extraditing ten criminals. And yet, the RoK side refused to perform its responsibility as agreed in the treaty.
Vietnam, a country which resolutely opposes terrorist acts and also the member of the Interpol, has actively collaborated with other countries with other countries including the RoK to counter against terrorist and criminal acts. The ruling by the Seoul High Court is wrongful, trampling upon the international law on anti-terrorism and failing to implement the extradition treaty signed between the two countries.
Vietnam demands the RoK side should co-operate in arresting the terrorist Nguyen Huu Chanh and extraditing him back to Vietnam for trial. Justice must be realised.
By Hoang Lien - Nhan Dan - July 30, 2006.
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