[imText1]Citizen’s Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees and Families of Prisoners of Korean War held a press conference on February 1, in front of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. The statement the two organizations gave out this day urged for: 1. open apology by the Chinese government 2. Promise from the Chinese government to stop the forced repatriation of the North Korean defectors, and 3. South Korean government’s commitment to bring Mr. Han Man Taek and other five hundred POWs remaining in North Korea back home.
The participants of the press conference tried to enter the Chinese embassy for personal dialogues with the Chinese ambassador. However, as were rejected at the gate, they protested by throwing eggs at the embassy and fought with the police.
“We wished for at leas the remains of my father but of only half of his remains returned of which we buried in the national cemetery. We blame the government of South Korea for having failed to protect its own citizens,” cried out Lee Yeon Soon, daughter of Lee Kyu Man who was a former POW.
Suh Young Seok, the former North Korean president of a new organization still in preparation called Group of Families of Prisoners of Korean War said, “U.S. has received at least the bones of the dead by paying North Korea, but what has South Korean government done?” and heavily criticized the government.
About the newly starting organization, he explained, “We will request the government to set the priority bring POWs and their families remaining in North Korea or defected in China back to South Korea.”
Suh further talked about his deceased father who was also a POW in North Korea, and added that he will also work or the recovering honor of the POWs.
