The issue of repatriating South Korean citizens detained in North Korea has resurfaced following President Lee Jae Myung’s press conference with foreign media. While the government asserts its commitment to actively resolving this matter by improving inter-Korean relations, experts note that significant practical challenges remain. Given the current state of completely severed communication channels with North Korea, advancing discussions on abductees and detainees appears to be an uphill battle.
The Ministry of Unification clarified on Friday that abductees refers to South Korean citizens forcibly taken by North Korea to areas north of the military demarcation line.
Government estimates suggest approximately 100,000 wartime abductees were kidnapped during the Korean War. Additionally, 516 post-war abductees out of 3,835 individuals kidnapped after the armistice agreement have yet to return. However, the survival status of these individuals remains unconfirmed.
A related term is detainees, which, although not formally defined by law, typically refers to South Korean citizens abducted by North Korea more recently, particularly since the 2010s.
The government has identified six detainees, including missionaries Kim Jung-wook, Kim Guk-ki, and Choi Chun-gil, along with three North Korean defectors. These individuals were detained in North Korea between 2013 and 2016, and their current whereabouts and survival status remain unknown.
Under the current Post-War Abductees Act, which governs compensation and support for abduction victims, anyone detained for more than three years is classified as an abductee. On November 2, 2023, the Ministry of Unification’s Compensation and Support Deliberation Committee for Abductee Victims officially included all six long-term detainees in the abductee category.
A government official explained that in practice, the concepts of abductees and detainees are not clearly distinguished. Broadly speaking, detainees are considered a subset of abductees.
During Moon’s Administration, Negotiations Nearly Secured the Release of Detainees… North Korea Previously Showed Willingness to Negotiate
The plight of these individuals resurfaced on Wednesday when an NK News reporter questioned President Lee about efforts to secure the release of approximately ten South Koreans detained in North Korea.
President Lee responded that this is the first he’s hearing of this, adding that the incidents occurred long ago, limiting his specific knowledge. He committed to further investigating the situation before making any judgments.
The following day, on Thursday, the presidential office issued a statement: The prolonged suspension of inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges continues to inflict pain on the citizens due to the division, and resolving this issue is urgent. They expressed their commitment to resuming inter-Korean dialogue based on national consensus, signaling their intent to negotiate with North Korea on this issue through improved relations.
The last official discussions between South Korea and North Korea on abductees and detainees occurred during the inter-Korean summit in Panmunjom in April 2018 and at a high-level meeting in June of the same year.
According to the Ministry of Unification, then-Minister Cho Myoung-kyun raised the issue of detainees first. North Korean delegation leader Ri Son-gwon responded that their domestic expert institutions were thoroughly reviewing the matter. However, no substantial progress materialized.
Yoon Gun-young, a Democratic Party member and former head of the National Planning Office at the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration, revealed on his Facebook page on Thursday that President Moon strongly urged Chairman Kim Jong Un to release the detainees in 2018, bringing the two sides to the brink of a breakthrough.
Yoon added that Chairman Kim promised President Moon that he will do his best to secure their release, and that it will hear good news. This suggests that North Korea acknowledges this issue as a topic for inter-Korean negotiation.
Lack of Inter-Korean Dialogue Clouds Prospects for Discussions on Abductees and Detainees
The prolonged deadlock in inter-Korean relations has significantly complicated discussions about the repatriation of abductees and detainees.
Since declaring a hostile two-way stance at the end of 2023, North Korea has consistently ignored all dialogue requests from South Korea. Since August, Ahn Hak-sop, a long-term prisoner of conscience, has expressed his desire to return to North Korea. However, Pyongyang’s lack of response has led to indefinite delays.
The issue of abductees remains a topic that North Korea is extremely reluctant to address at the negotiating table. This presents a significant challenge for the current South Korean government, which seeks to resume dialogue and end the division, in prioritizing this sensitive issue.
Some experts suggest that the government should propose negotiations with North Korea focused on the repatriation of three recently detained missionaries. They argue that addressing the detainee issue first could pave the way for broader discussions on the abductee problem in the future, given the interconnected nature of these issues.
Choi Sung-ryong, a representative of abductee families, expressed his frustration: Dialogue between North and South is essential for addressing these matters, but the door to conversation has completely closed. It cannot even confirm the survival of the abductees, which is heartbreaking. It hopes this situation will lead to at least the resumption of dialogue.