Print

Mail

wiki links

South Korea seeks return of abductees, POWs

"Our goal is to confirm the fate of abductees and bring them back."

Lee Jong-seok, South Korea's unification minister in charge of relations with North Korea

South Korea plans to offer the North massive economic aid at coming high-level talks to seek the return of South Koreans kidnapped and held in the communist state, Seoul's point man on the North said.

"We're thinking of proposing a method of bold economic assistance to resolve the issues of abductees, POWs and separated families -- especially the issue of abductees," said Lee Jong-seok, the South's unification minister in charge of relations with North Korea, in remarks confirmed by the ministry yesterday.

Lee made the comments during a parliamentary meeting on Monday.

The South estimates that 486 South Korean civilians are alive across the border after being abducted by the North.

It also believes Pyongyang is holding 542 others who were taken prisoner as soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War.

South Korea has raised the issue of abductees and prisoners of war in talks with the North but has failed to achieve a breakthrough, as Pyongyang denies holding any war prisoners and says the civilians defected voluntarily.

Lee will lead the South's delegation to four-day Cabinet-level talks with North Korea, set to start on Friday in Pyongyang.

It will be the 18th round of a series of talks that are the highest-level regular dialogue channel between the two Koreas, which have made strides toward reconciliation since their first-ever summit in 2000.

"I've already said to the people that we're going to give it [resolving the detainee issue] a try, even if it takes costs," Lee said. "Our goal is to confirm the fate of abductees and bring them back."

He said no details have been decided about possible economic aid to the North.

South Korean activists and families of those believed held in the North have accused Seoul of not doing enough to bring their relatives home.

They claim that their government is too soft on the communist regime, out of concern that angering it might endanger inter-Korean reconciliation.

In 2000, the South repatriated 63 North Korean spies to their homeland. It got nothing in return from the North.

The two Koreas officially remain in a state of conflict because the armistice that ended the Korean War has never been converted into a peace treaty.
This story has been viewed 1135 times.