Suspected regime thugs try to kill N. Korean refugee in Denmark

For those in the State Department, including its addlebrained spokeswoman, who say that putting North Korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism would be merely “symbolic,” here’s some food for thought:

Suspected North Korean government agents have assaulted a North Korean living in a refugee center in Denmark and warned him that they will cut his head off if he does not return home, according to a rights group.

“We are currently trembling in extreme fear and anxiety,” the refugee, who lives with his wife at the center in the small Danish town of Hanstholm in the northern part of Denmark, told the U.S.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK).

Bae Jun Sik was assaulted by the agents this week and has been hospitalized at Hillerod Hospital in Hanstholm in the latest of several attacks on him since Nov. 10.

“I have spoken with hospital staff, who confirmed that he has a broken nose, an injury to his head, and scars on his neck, most likely proof of an attempt to strangle him,” Greg Scarlatoiu, HRNK’s executive director, told RFA’s Korean Service.

“He says he went out [of the center] for a cigarette, opened the door for people outside, and they tried to strangle him with a plastic string. His wife heard the noise, screamed, and they ran away,” Scarlatoiu said. [Radio Free Asia]

President Bush removed North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism on October 11, 2008. The Obama Administration’s official view is that North Korea is “not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since the bombing of a Korean Airlines flight in 1987.” Discuss among yourselves.

Marcus Noland’s posting since then suggests that the Danish authorities have done approximately squat to investigate the crime or find those responsible. As if that’s in much doubt.

ICYMI, here’s my summary of the legal consequences of an SSOT re-listing, which are much more than symbolic. Of course, symbolic consequences can also be important. North Korea has targeted refugees, exiles, and activists for assassination since its de-listing, which means that a re-listing would signal that the U.S. government will defend the human rights of Pyongyang’s targets, who have much to contribute to our public policy debate, from terrorism.

Congress legislated the list of state sponsors of terrorism and its legal consequences to tell governments everywhere that terrorism will have legal consequences. Call that symbolic if you like, but Congress has spoken, North Korea meets the criteria, the executive’s job is to faithfully execute the laws. If the consequences of a listing (including the symbolic ones) are meaningless, it’s for Congress to raise them, or to repeal the entire listing mechanism.