South Korean Police Conduct Raid on Chinese Restaurant Over Allegations of Operating as Secret CCP Police Station
The South Korean police investigation of a CCP representative was seen as a “deterrent and warning signal to Beijing.”
In Seoul, South Korean police looked into a Chinese restaurant suspected of operating as a secret Chinese Communist Party (CCP) police station. The establishment was allegedly involved in forcibly repatriating Chinese dissidents, with the owner playing significant roles in overseas associations linked to the CCP.
Several countries have exposed China’s covert deployment of overseas police stations, causing concern. There are calls for the South Korean government to revise its “espionage law” urgently to address national security threats posed by communist China.
On Feb. 22, a mandatory investigation was carried out by Seoul Police on Wang Haijun, the 46-year-old owner of the Oriental Pearl Chinese restaurant in Seoul.
Police also searched Mr. Wang’s home in Incheon and his media company on the same day. Wang and his associates were prohibited from leaving the country, local Korean media reported.
This investigation marks the first official action since late 2022 when authorities discovered a secret police station established by Beijing in South Korea.
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The police action against the CCP representative in South Korea served as a warning to Beijing, according to Li Yuanhua, an expert on China affairs and a former associate professor at China’s Capital Normal University.
Repatriation of Chinese Dissidents
An investigation by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) uncovered that the Oriental Pearl Chinese restaurant, owned by Mr. Wang since 2018, was suspected of operating as a secret CCP police station. The investigation revealed that Mr. Wang assisted the Chinese Consulate in repatriating local anti-communist Chinese individuals back to China.
Last month, the Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office indicted Mr. Wang and his wife on various charges, including violations of the Food Sanitation Law.
During the raid on Feb. 22, police also scrutinized the financial activities of Mr. Wang’s company and related businesses. There were suspicions of external fund inflow with ties to the CCP, as evidenced by his company’s continued operation despite losses.
There are concerns about HG Culture Media, a company owned by Mr. Wang, which has close ties to Chinese official media. The company was chosen in 2015 as Xinhua News Agency’s channel and exclusive agent in South Korea.
A Tool for CCP Political Influence
In addition to his roles as CEO of the restaurant and HG Culture Media, Mr. Wang had prominent positions in the Korea-China Federation for the Promotion of Peace and Unification and the Federation of Overseas Chinese Association in Korea. These federations are linked to the National Association for China’s Peaceful Unification (NACPU), a secretive group controlled by the intelligence agency UFWD of the CCP.
The UFWD has been actively infiltrating various regions to influence political and economic activities, employing tactics like luring, enticing, intimidating, and threatening elites to serve the CCP.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of State identified the UFWD-controlled NACPU as a foreign agent under the U.S. Foreign Missions Act, requiring disclosure of information about their relationships and activities concerning foreign governments.
CCP’s Potential Interference in South Korean Election
Given Beijing’s transnational influence, there are concerns about the CCP’s intervention in South Korea’s parliamentary elections.
Experts warn that South Korea’s systems are vulnerable to CCP intelligence efforts, particularly in influencing public opinion towards progressive candidates aligning with Chinese objectives.
Recommendations include shutting down Confucius institutes and Chinese secret police stations to combat the dissemination of false information and influence on public opinion and policies in South Korea.
The administration of President Yoon Suk-Yeol remains vigilant against CCP manipulation in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Last November, NIS revealed suspicions of two Chinese companies running fake websites posing as South Korean media outlets to spread pro-China and anti-U.S. content for manipulative purposes.
Espionage Act bill
South Korea faces legal obstacles in the case involving Mr. Wang due to the current criminal law’s restrictions on espionage activities. Lawmakers have been advocating for amendments to the Espionage Act to address these limitations.
In 2023, members of the ruling National Power Party (NPP) introduced a bill on foreign agent registration in the National Assembly to address such issues.
Han Min-ho, a former South Korean government official and president of the Citizens for Unveiling Confucius Institutes (CUCI), emphasized the importance of passing the Espionage Act bill in the new National Assembly to counter CCP interference and protect South Korea’s sovereignty.
Kane Zhang contributed to this article.
