South Korea to deport American for her commentary on North Korea

SEOUL, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A Korean-American woman faces deportation from South Korea after making complimentary statements about North Korea.

Shin Eun-mi, a 54-year-old Los Angeles resident, is the author of Korean-American Ajumma Goes to North Korea, a book chronicling her six visits to North Korea.

She has been accused of violating South Korea's National Security Law, which prohibits "anti-state" activities that promote North Korea's political ideology.

Shin had been barred from leaving South Korea while authorities investigated statements she allegedly made during a series of talk shows with Hwang Sun, the former deputy spokeswoman of the now-defunct Democratic Labor Party.

"I said the two Koreas should restore trust and coexist peacefully. I don't think the remark posed any risk to our national security," Shin told reporters on Wednesday, alleging the investigation was a "witch-hunt."

Shin is expected to be deported on Friday.