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Korean War Abductees’ Family Union held an event today at Seoul Press Center to mark the “4th Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Korean War Abduction.” The event was attended by Minister of Unification Ryoo Kihl Jae and more than 400 family members of abduction victims.
The families expressed their sadness at the pain of losing of parents and siblings in the Korean War by placing carnations before a banner of portraits of abductees.
Minister Ryoo offered encouragement to the families in a brief comment at the event, saying, “Resolving the Korean War abductee victims issue is an important duty of our government and a task of North Korea policy,” before urging North Korea “not to ignore the truth of the abductions issue” and “respond positively to our efforts to overcome a tragic history.”
“The pain suffered by the families of Korean War abductees is being forgotten and they cannot even attract interest, so they are being scarred once again” Ryoo went on. However, he declared, “Our society is remembering the tragic history of abductees by leading the necessary push for confirmation of the status of abductees and their return [to South Korea].”
Also speaking at the event, Korean War Abductees’ Family Union director Lee Mi Il reminded attendees, “60 years have passed since the war, but to us it is ongoing. Despite the existence of a great many testimonies and documents, the North Korean regime has continuously rejected the fact that it abducted private citizens.” Therefore, “The Republic of Korea and the international community must join together to apportion legal responsibility and resolve this barbaric North Korean crime.”
