[imText1]Having returned home, Choi Wook Il (67) participated in a press conference to urge the National Assembly to enact the special law for abductees’ returning on the 31st. Choi who was abducted 32 years ago said “I lived a hard life under the rigorous control of the Safety Agency” exposing the horrific life of abductees in North Korea.
It has been a fortnight since Choi has returned home and until now has been under the investigation of governmental officials. On this day, Choi met a fellow seaman Ko Myung Sup, the first time in 23 years.
Choi said “For 32 years I was unable to have a proper meal and lived under the surveillance of the Safety Agency” and “Since 1997, I tried numerous times to escape but gave up as it didn’t go according to plan but this time I succeeded.”
Further, he mentioned that the distribution system suspended in the mid-90’s made living very hard. He added “In particular, the end of the distribution system resulted in many people dying of hunger.”
[imText2]He expressed regret for being unable to return home with his family in North Korea and urged the government to take greater action in bringing other abductees back to their motherland.
Embracing Choi tightly, the fellow seaman Ko Myung Sup said “I thought I would never meet him. Seeing him this healthy feels like a dream come true” and “How great would it be if more abductees could return home more quickly.”
Representative Choi Sung Yong of Come Back Home urged that a special law be enacted to support families of abductees. Through the recent incident, he aspires that the government should sooner than later pass a law on the issue of abductees.
