Accused of spying and setting up church, South Korean sentenced in North Korea
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
South Korean man sentenced to life in hard labor in North Korea
South Korean ministry criticizes sentencing and calls for Kim's release
Kim Jong Uk is accused of trying to set up underground churches in North Korea
(CNN) -- North Korea's Supreme Court has sentenced a South Korean man to life of hard labor for commiting "hostile acts" against the country, according to its state-run news agency, KCNA.
The South Korean, identified as Kim Jong Uk, averted the death sentence because he allegedly "repented of his crimes," which included an attempt to set up an underground church inside the country, according to KCNA.
Kim was charged with state subversion, espionage and anti-state propaganda, agitation and illegal entry into the border. The defendant confessed to the crimes in a trial held May 30, according to KCNA.
North Korea is known to push detainees to make false confessions.
Tours of North Korea are carefully choreographed affairs so an unexpected mishap, such as the bus breaking down, visibly rattles the guides. Australian tourist Mark Freeman compares such occasional glitches to the "black cat" scene in "The Matrix."
South Korean officials condemned the sentence, saying that North Korea was "in serious violation" of international norms, and urged for Kim's release.
"North Korea did not respond at all to our request for the family and the legal counsel to access Kim Jeong-uk," said the Unification Ministry spokesperson. The English spelling of Kim's name varied between KCNA and South Korea's ministry.
KCNA outlined Kim's alleged crimes: "He committed anti-DPRK religious acts, malignantly hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK overseas and tried to infiltrate into Pyongyang after illegally trespassing on the border for the purpose of setting up underground church and gathering information about the internal affairs of the DPRK while luring its inhabitants into south Korea and spying on the DPRK."
Earlier this year, John Short, a 75-year-old Australian missionary was detained by North Korean authorities in February. He had "committed a criminal act by secretly spreading his Bible tracts around a Buddhist temple in Pyongyang," after entering the country as a tourist, according to KCNA. After issuing a public apology, Short was released.
Accused of spying and setting up church, South Korean sentenced in North Korea
June 2, 2014 -- Updated 1259 GMT (2059 HKT) 
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