[USFK Forums] 21 POWs and Abductees Alive in NK

[C. Y. Lee]

[Uploaded by C. Y. Lee, Wednesday, October 26, 2005] Further to Reuter's news, here is an article of the Korea Times as follows:
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21 POWs and Abductees Alive in NK

The Korea Times, Tuesday, October 25, 2005

By Seo Dong-shinStaff Reporter

Ten South Korean prisoners of war (POWs) captured during the Korean War and 11 people abducted by North Korea after the war have been confirmed to be alive in the North, a senior official at the Unification Ministry said Tuesday.

South and North Korea have exchanged information on the lives and whereabouts of selected separated family members on the occasion of cross-border family reunion sessions, of which 11 rounds have been held since 2000. The first round was held shortly after the inter-Korean summit in June 2000.

``We have now requested confirmation for the life of 51 abductees and 52 POWs,’’ Ko Gyoung-bin, director-general at the ministry’s Bureau of Social and Cultural Exchanges, told reporters in a briefing.

``Among them, North Korea has informed us that 11 abductees and 10 POWs are alive,’’ he said. ``The North confirmed the deaths of 10 abductees and six POWs, and said the lives of 34 abductees and 38 POWs cannot be confirmed.’’

The differing numbers in the South’s request and the North’s confirmation comes from the fact that the North has included relatives of the requested abductees or POWs on the list, Ko added.

The 12th round of family reunions is scheduled to take place from Nov. 5 through 10 at Mt. Kumgang in the North.

Although North Korea has denied having abducted South Koreans after the war, the Seoul government estimates the number to be 3,790, and 486 of them are believed to still be held in the North.

During the family reunion sessions, South and North Korea have allowed some families of the POWs or abductees to be reunited, under a mutually tacit agreement. Some 4-5 percent of the selected separated family members for each round of reunions consist of those POWs or abductees.

Up until now, 13 families of the abductees, or 58 persons, and 13 families of POWs, or 46 persons, have been reunited with their family members in the North, according to Ko. The number of the reunited surpasses that of those confirmed alive as it includes relatives of South Korean POWs and abductees held in the North.

saltwall@koreatimes.co.kr 10-25-2005 19:56