The government announced on Thursday that it is not considering linking the repatriation of South Korean citizens detained in North Korea with the issue of unconverted long-term prisoners.
A Unification Ministry official met with reporters that day and stated that the government plans to repatriate unconverted long-term prisoners on humanitarian grounds and is currently reviewing related matters. However, they are not considering linking their repatriation with the return of its citizens held in North Korea.
The decision not to connect these two issues reportedly stems from the current impasse in inter-Korean dialogue and negotiations. Furthermore, there seems to be a prevailing belief that North Korea is unlikely to cooperate on this matter.
Earlier, during a foreign press conference on Wednesday, President Lee Jae Myung was caught off guard when questioned about South Korean citizens detained in North Korea. Expressing surprise, he said that this is news to him, and asked National Security Advisor Cho Tae-yong about the truth that South Korean citizens are being held, when and under what circumstances it happened.
President Lee further remarked that this occurred quite some time ago, so it lacks detailed information, adding that he will investigate the situation further before making any judgments. This response sparked criticism that the president showed insufficient concern for this critical issue.
It has been confirmed that North Korea detained six South Korean citizens between 2013 and 2017, including missionaries Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-gi, and Choi Chun-gil, as well as three North Korean defectors.
The Unification Ministry official emphasized that the government recognizes the urgency of resolving the detainee issue and is working to address it through dialogue with North Korea. During periods of inter-Korean dialogue, it has raised this issue multiple times with the North.
He continued that in the high-level inter-Korean talks in June 2018, then-Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon raised this issue, and North Korea’s chief delegate, Ri Son-gwon, responded that it was being thoroughly reviewed by their domestic expert agencies.
The official also mentioned that Minister Kim Yung-ho met with the families of missionaries Choi Chun-gil and Kim Jung-wook last September, stating that they are regularly communicating with the families of the detainees to provide support and are also pursuing international cooperation. It will continue to make multifaceted efforts for the safe return of its citizens.