The main opposition Democratic Party will take to the streets this week in protest of the government’s alleged interference in the trial of a former civil servant accused of spying for North Korea, the party’s floor leader said Tuesday.

The rally will take place at Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul Wednesday, floor leader Jun Byung-hun said at a general meeting of DP lawmakers, urging them all to take part.

The trial of Yoo Woo-seong, a 34-year-old former civil servant for the Seoul municipal government, drew attention again last week amid allegations that the prosecution fabricated evidence to charge him with espionage.

The Chinese-born suspect was indicted last year on charges of handing over the personal information of more than 200 North Korean defectors to Pyongyang after disguising himself as a defector in order to enter South Korea.

After a local court acquitted Yoo of espionage, prosecutors appealed the verdict and submitted Chinese immigration records showing that Yoo entered North Korea on May 27, 2006, and left through China on June 10, 2006.

Yoo had claimed that he visited North Korea for his mother’s funeral but never went back after May 27. (Yonhap)