Sharing the pain and longing of abductees
and their families, together with ROK nationals and the international community
Key policy directions for the issues of
abductees, detainees, and POWs in 2024
January 18, 2024
During the August 18 ROK-U.S.-Japan summit at Camp David, a joint
statement reaffirming a shared commitment to the immediate resolution
of the issues of abductees, detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of
war was adopted.
In response, the Ministry of Unification established the Abductees
Response Team last September, directly overseen by the Unification
Minister. The team made every effort to gather opinions from the
families of abductees, detainees, and POWs, as well as from people of
all social standings.
This year, in an effort to embrace the pain of the families and to
resolve the issues at the earliest possible date, the Unification
Ministry is set to initiate a project that fosters citizen engagement.
Foremost, the Ministry plans to create a symbol that conveys the
meaning of never forgetting abductees, detainees, and POWs, and
utilize it across various content that citizens can enjoy in their
daily lives.
In particular, the Unification Ministry is making efforts to
showcase a designer collection inspired by the symbol at a runway show
during the 2024 F/W Seoul Fashion Week this February.
Moreover, the Ministry is working toward organizing and realizing
projects that engage the public and build consensus through various
content productions, exhibitions, performances, and recreational
sports events.
There are countries that share the same pain as we do due to inhuman
crimes committed by the DPRK, such as abductions and illegal detention
of foreign nationals.
The Ministry of Unification will seek ways to bolster international
solidarity in collaboration with like-minded countries such as the
United States and Japan.
The Ministry will also facilitate exchanges among victims from home
and abroad, and support liaison and cooperation between victims and
international organizations at a civilian level.
The Ministry will persist in its endeavor to maintain and expand
communication and cooperation with relevant departments overseas,
including the U.S. Department of State Office of the Special Envoy for
Hostage Affairs, on a regular basis.
The endeavor includes ensuring that the issues of abductees,
detainees, and POWs are rightly addressed and reflected throughout
international human rights mechanisms, including the Universal
Periodic Review (UPR, scheduled for November, 2024) on the DPRK.
The Unification Ministry is set to jointly organize an exhibition
with the U.S. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and to foster
exchanges with museums in former Eastern Bloc countries such as
Hungary, Czech Republic, and Romania.
Through such initiatives, the Ministry aims to discover new projects
for collaboration with overseas organizations sharing a similar
purpose to the resolution of the abductees issue.
As this year marks 10 years since the arrest of missionaries Kim
Kook kie and Choi Chun gil, the Ministry of Unification will
prioritize safeguarding our citizens and will do its utmost, together
with the general public and international community, to resolve the
issues of abductees, detainees, and POWs.
* Unofficial translation
