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Lefortovo Prison in Moscow, Russia, where South Korean national Baek Won-soon is being held after being arrested on espionage charges. (Wikipedia)

On Monday, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency announced that Russian authorities arrested a South Korean national in Vladivostok on spy charges at the beginning of this year. This is the first time a South Korean citizen has been arrested in Russia for espionage charges. 

TASS reported that a source within Russian law enforcement said that South Korean Baek Won-soon “was identified and detained in Vladivostok, and put into custody under a court order,” adding, “He [Baek] was transferred from Vladivostok to Moscow for further investigation.” 

TASS reported that Baek was transferred to Moscow in late February, where he is currently being detained at Lefortovo Prison. 

In short, Russian state media announced Baek’s arrest and detention to the outside world two months after the fact.  

TASS reported that its source claimed that Bae was “handing over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies,” and that relevant case documents and information have been classified as “top secret.” Russian authorities have not provided any additional details regarding the investigation into Baek. 

On Monday, Lefortovsky Court extended Baek’s period of detention by three months, until June 15, TASS reported.

“The arrest of Baek on espionage charges marks the first case of its kind against a South Korean citizen in modern Russian history. He is the second foreign national not from Ukraine to have been arrested on spy charges since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,” the Moscow Times reported.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich remains in detention following his arrest on espionage charges last year. Gershkovich is being detained at Lefortovo Prison, just like Baek.

An official with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Korea “has been providing the necessary consular assistance since learning about [Baek’s] arrest]” but declined to provide any further details, noting that the ministry is still looking into the situation.

Yonhap News reported that Baek entered Russia by land from China in January as a private citizen, and had been residing in Vladivostok for several days when he was arrested by Russia’s Federal Security Service (abbreviated as FSB). Yonhap added that Baek is a religious worker.

Baek’s wife, who was with him in Vladivostok, was also arrested by the FSB but was later released and has reportedly returned to South Korea.

The FSB did not inform South Korea about Baek’s arrest until last month, when it gave written notification.

Russia has designated South Korea as an “unfriendly country” for participating in Western sanctions against Russia following Moscow’s “special military operation” against Ukraine in February 2022.

If Baek’s release is delayed or if he is given a stiff prison sentence, it could further damage South Korea’s relations with Russia at a time where security on the Korean Peninsula is already being endangered by Russia’s cozy ties with North Korea.

If Baek is convicted of espionage charges in Russia, he could be sentenced to 10-20 years in prison. Espionage clauses in the Russian criminal clause apply to foreign nationals and stateless individuals who are charged with collecting, stealing or storing Russian state secrets or information about military or government security on the orders of foreign intelligence agencies.

By Park Min-hee, senior staff writer

Please direct questions or comments [english@hani.co.kr]