A pro-North Korean body warned South Korea Tuesday against arresting a unification activist who will return to Seoul later this week after his illegal trip to the North.

Ro Su-hui will return home Thursday through the border village of Panmunjom that separates the two divided Koreas, the North and South Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea’s Reunification said in a joint press release carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Ro, the vice-chairman of the alliance’s headquarters in Seoul, made an unauthorized trip to North Korea on March 24 to attend a memorial service to mark the 100th day anniversary of the death of its long-time leader Kim Jong-il.

“We solemnly declare that all the Koreans will never pardon the South Korean ‘government’ authorities if they arrest Ro on the charges of the violation of the outdated ‘Security Law’ and use his return for their political purpose,” the alliance said in the press release.

The move came a day after South Korean police said they will arrest Ro in the border village for questioning about his pro-North Korean activities in the North.

Ro could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of sneaking into the North, according to police.

Last year, Rev. Han Sang-ryol, a pro-unification activist, received a three-year prison term for visiting the North in 2010 without approval and praising the regime.

South Korea’s National Security Law prohibits citizens from visiting the North without prior approval or from praising the North. 

(Yonhap News)