"I'm free now, however I don't think this is real freedom." Lee Heechul said in an interview with Voiceofpeople.
Lee Heechul is set free from being wanted by the police under the National Security Law on August 14.

He was the 8th leader of Hanchongryun, the national students´ union, in 2002. Hanchongryun is an 'anti-state' association according to the law. So he had been a wanted man for 7 years under the law until statute of limitations ended on August 14. The student leaders belonging to Hanchongryun have been arrested or wanted by the same reason throughout years.

The National Security Law was initially adopted for protecting country's security against 'anti-state' or 'espionage' activities.

However a lot of civic groups, lawmakers and even President Roh Moohyun, former President Kim Daejoong argued that the law had to be abolished or substantially amended.
Many international bodies including UN Human Rights Committee recommended South Korea Government intensify its efforts to bring its legislation more in line with international human rights standards.

The National Security Law has been widely misused to punish people who opposed government's policies including trade unionists, students' association leaders and civic activists in spite they posed no threat to security.
The misuses result from not clearly defined terms about 'anti-state' and 'espionage' activities.

Lee Heechul could not have met their family for the years. He could only talk to his family for seconds via telephone avoiding police's eyes. He said "I was so sorry for my family not to participate my sisters' wedding."

He added that "I'm free now, however I feel responsible strongly. In these days a lot of people are still arrested under the law. We must abolish the law which is an obstacle to reunify Korea Peninsula."