The World : S. Korea Torture Alleged

Relatives of 14 people held without charges have accused South Korean police of using torture to try to elicit confessions of pro-Communist activities. In a statement made through a church group, the relatives said the detainees showed signs of having been beaten and that one reported that he had been tortured. A government official denied the allegations. Authorities confirmed that the March 25 arrests were made during a police raid on an “unregistered publishing house” specializing in left-wing literature. News of the arrests has been withheld from the South Korean media.