What's happened
A South Korean missionary, Baek Won-soon, has been detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage. The missionary was providing aid to underprivileged people in Vladivostok, with the espionage allegations deemed preposterous by his aid group.
Why it matters
The detention of Baek Won-soon in Russia on espionage charges has raised concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals in the country. The case highlights the risks faced by missionaries and aid workers operating in sensitive regions.
What the papers say
The Independent emphasizes the missionary work of Baek Won-soon and the disbelief of the aid group regarding the espionage allegations. The Japan Times focuses on Baek's support for North Korean laborers and his religious background. Al Jazeera and The Moscow Times provide details on Baek's detention in Vladivostok and Moscow, highlighting the 'top secret' classification of his case and the extension of his detention until June 15.
How we got here
Since the Ukraine war, South Korea has advised its citizens against traveling to Russia. The detention of Baek Won-soon is the first case of a South Korean being arrested in Russia on alleged espionage charges. The missionary was involved in providing humanitarian aid and evangelizing underprivileged people in Vladivostok.
More on these topics
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South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Russian News Agency TASS, abbreviated TASS, is a major news agency in Russia founded in 1904. TASS is the largest Russian news agency and one of the largest news agencies worldwide, along with Reuters, the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.