South Korea Demands Immediate Release of Six Citizens Detained in North Korea
Seoul,September 20, 2024 – The South Korean government hasissued a strong condemnation of North Korea’s continued detention of six South Korean citizens, urging their immediate release on the 4,000th day ofmissionary Kim Jeong-uk’s imprisonment.
In a statement released by Unification Minister Kim Yeong-ho, the government expressed deep concern over the prolonged detentionof Kim Jeong-uk, Kim Guk-gi, Choi Chun-gil, and three other individuals who acquired South Korean citizenship after defecting from North Korea. These individuals have been held captive for years without due process or access to basiclegal protections.
The North Korean authorities have illegally detained these six South Korean citizens for an extended period, depriving them of their basic human rights, the statement read. We strongly condemn this inhumane act and demand their immediate and unconditional release.
The statement highlighted the lack of a fair trial for the detainees, stating that they were sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor without proper judicial proceedings. The government further criticized the North Korean regime for its disregard for international human rights standards and its continued violation of international law.
Kim Jeong-uk, a missionary whooperated in the Chinese border city of Dandong, was arrested by North Korean authorities on October 8, 2013. He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor on May 30, 2014, on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the state and incitement tosubversion.
Kim Guk-gi and Choi Chun-gil were detained in October and December 2014, respectively, and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor in June 2015. The three defectors were apprehended in 2016 and their fate remains unknown.
The South Korean government hasrepeatedly called for the release of these individuals, but its pleas have been ignored by North Korea. The government has also imposed unilateral sanctions on North Korean entities and individuals involved in the detention of South Korean citizens.
The international community is deeply concerned about the fate of these six individuals, the statement continued. We urge the North Koreangovernment to recognize the gravity of the situation and heed the international community’s calls for their release.
The South Korean government has pledged to continue its efforts to secure the release of its citizens detained in North Korea. It has also called on the international community to exert pressure on North Korea to comply with international human rights standards.
This latest statement comes amidst heightened tensions between the two Koreas. The North Korean regime has recently conducted a series of missile tests, prompting condemnation from the international community. The South Korean government has also expressed concerns over the North’s nuclear program and its continued development of ballistic missiles.
The fate of the sixdetained South Korean citizens remains uncertain. The South Korean government is calling on North Korea to release them immediately and unconditionally, and to respect their basic human rights. The international community is watching closely to see if North Korea will respond to the South’s demands.
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