[2020 National Audit] North Korea Burned Our Officials' Bodies... But We Returned 61 Remains

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Tae Young-ho, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the People Power Party, cited data received from the Ministry of Unification and revealed on the 8th that since the Roh Moo-hyun administration, a total of 61 bodies have been repatriated to North Korea on a humanitarian basis.

During the same period, 215 simple defectors were repatriated.

The Ministry of Unification, upon discovering bodies of North Korean residents drifting at sea, notifies the North through a formal letter, then, with the cooperation of the Korean Red Cross, recovers the bodies, places them in coffins, and sends them to North Korea via Panmunjom. The North Korean authorities also, when bodies of South Korean citizens are found, place them in coffins similarly and send them through Panmunjom.

When repatriating bodies of North Korean residents, the North Korean authorities refuse to accept them if there are no clear markings indicating the deceased are North Korean residents; however, if the body has a Kim Il-sung badge (pin), they actively demand the repatriation of the body and especially request the badge to be returned respectfully.

Representative Tae said, "Since repatriation through Panmunjom has been conducted as a humanitarian measure between the South and North for simple defectors or discovered bodies, the recent maritime killing and mutilation of the missing government official is even more shocking," adding, "Considering the brutality Kim Jong-un (Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea) has shown, it is necessary to establish a response manual assuming the worst for the life and safety of our citizens."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.