Hong Kong residents converge on the streets of Causeway Bay on June 30, 2020 to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of returned to China and the enactment of the National Security Law. Photo: VCG

 
Former leader of Hong Kong pro-secessionist group Studentlocalism, Tony Chung Hon-lam, pleaded guilty for secession and money-laundering on Wednesday, Hong Kong media reported. 

Chung was detained in October by the police's national security department while attempting to seek asylum at the US consulate in Hong Kong and Macao. 

Chung was accused of involving in actively organizing, planning, committing or participating in the commission of acts with others in Hong Kong aimed at secession and undermining national unity between July and October, 2020.

The charge of conspiracy to publish seditious content refers to Chung's involvement in conspiring with others to publish seditious publications in Hong Kong between November, 2019 and June 2020.

The two counts of money laundering refer to sums worth HK$133,417.69 ($17,212) in an account held by Chung in Hong Kong under the name of Tony Chung at PayPal Hong Kong Limited, and sums worth HK$564,318.19 ($72,800) in an account held by Chung in the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC).

Chung was the founder of pro-secession group Studentslocalism, which announced the shutdown of its headquarters in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, the same day the national security law for Hong Kong took effect, and said all the group's affairs would be handled by overseas members instead. 

Global Times