South Korea Demands Immediate Release of Missionary Detained in North Korea for a Decade
Seoul, December 3, 2024 – Tenyears after the detention of South Korean missionary Choi Chun-gil (音) by North Korea, the South Korean Unification Ministry issued a statement today strongly condemning Pyongyang’s actions and demanding his immediate and unconditional release. The statement, released by a ministry spokesperson, characterized the detention as an illegal and arbitrary act that suppressesreligious and belief freedoms, flagrantly disregarding international calls for human rights improvements in North Korea.
The ministry’s statement highlights the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the lack of transparency surrounding Choi’s case. He was arrested inDecember 2014 while reportedly assisting North Korean defectors and conducting missionary work near the border city of Dandong, China. Subsequently, in June 2015, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor, his current whereabouts and well-being remaining unknown. The Unification Ministry specifically condemned the lack of a public trial and the imposition of what it termed an unreasonably harsh sentence.
This prolonged detention underscores the ongoing human rights concerns surrounding North Korea. The ministry’s statement directly accuses the North Korean regime of violatinginternational norms and ignoring persistent pleas from the international community to improve its human rights record. The demand for Choi’s immediate and unconditional release reflects Seoul’s unwavering commitment to protecting its citizens and advocating for human rights in the face of North Korea’s opaque and often repressive practices.
The case of Choi Chun-gil serves as a potent symbol of the broader challenges in inter-Korean relations and the persistent human rights violations within North Korea. While diplomatic channels remain largely strained, South Korea’s forceful statement underscores its determination to pursue all available avenues to secure Choi’s release and shed light on his situation. The lack ofinformation regarding his condition further fuels concerns about the treatment of detainees within the North Korean system. The international community will be watching closely to see if North Korea responds to this renewed pressure.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency. (December 3, 2024). South Korean UnificationMinistry urges North Korea to immediately and unconditionally release detained citizen. [Link to Yonhap News Agency article – This would be a link to the original Korean article if available online. Otherwise, a placeholder would be used.]
(Note: The provided Korean text was used as the primary source. The nameChoi Chun-gil is rendered phonetically as provided in the source material. Further investigation might reveal a more accurate romanization.)
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