Japan requests Korea’s aid in Yasukuni probe

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said Tuesday that it had received a request for cooperation from Japanese authorities in investigating the case involving a 27-year-old Korean man suspected to have been behind a small explosion last month at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

Cho June-hyuck, spokesman for the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the request in a briefing Tuesday and elaborated, “The Japanese police, through Interpol, requested our Korean National Police Agency for cooperation in investigation.”

On Dec. 9, Tokyo police arrested a Korean man surnamed Jeon at Haneda Airport after he was suspected to be linked to an explosion inside a men’s restroom at the shrine on Nov. 23. The blast caused a small fire that damaged the ceiling and walls, but there were no casualties.

The KNPA said it had agreed to cooperate with Japan’s National Police Agency after receiving the request via Interpol, the international law enforcement clearinghouse, at around 7 p.m. on Monday. “We plan to cooperate with Japan’s request,” in accordance with the act on international judicial assistance in criminal matters, a Korean police official said.

The official added that Japanese authorities had asked for information about Jeon’s immigration records, his registered place of residence and his personal background.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]