The upcoming visit of a North Korean military general to attend the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics has led to protests in South Korea, where critics are demanding the cancellation of the visit or his arrest upon arrival for his alleged role in two attacks in the country which killed 50 people.
Kim Yong-chol, aged 72, figures in the list of people sanctioned in South Korea for his important role in the nuclear program and is suspected of masterminding two attacks carried out in 2010.
The incidents include the bombardment of Yeonpyeong island, which led to four deaths and the sinking of South Korean warship the Cheonan, attributed to the North by Seoul, which killed 46 sailors.
The main opposition, Liberty Korea Party, on Thursday held a protest in front of the Presidential Blue House in Seoul and demanded Kim's visit be cancelled to respect the victims of the attack, local news agency Yonhap reports
Dozens of opposition lawmakers participated in the protest against the visit - scheduled to start on February 25 - and the protesters said that they would use all possible means to try and block the general's trip.
Kim Yong-chol heads the North Korean delegation which would attend the closing ceremony of PyeongChang 2018, also expected to be attended by Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Australian Associated Press