UN Requests Information on 12 Enforced Disappearances in North Korea
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The United Nations has requested information from North Korea regarding 12 forcibly disappeared individuals, including victims of the 1969 Korean Air (KAL) passenger plane hijacking and abducted fishermen.
The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances under the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced on the 13th through a recent report that it requested information about KAL plane abductees Jang Gi-young and Jeong Gyeong-sook.
The report explained that they are suspected to have been abducted following the hijacking of the Korean Air passenger plane YS-11 by North Korean security agents on December 11, 1969.
At that time, the passenger plane, carrying a total of 50 people including 46 passengers and 4 crew members, was hijacked while en route from Gangneung to Seoul and taken to North Korea.
North Korea returned 39 passengers to South Korea via Panmunjom in February of the following year, but the remaining 11 have yet to return.
The Working Group also requested information from North Korea in 2016 regarding Jeong Gyeong-sook, one of the KAL plane abductees.
The report also requested information from North Korea about eight abducted fishermen: Lee Gi-ha and Min Gi-sik (August 1975, Cheonwangho), Kim Gyeong-su (November 1965, Myeongdeokho), Lee Sang-won (May 1968, Seongeunho), Go Soon-cheol (November 1968, Yangjinho), Lee Seong-ryong (February 1974, Suwon 32-ho), Kim I-deuk (October 1968, Yeongchangho), and Hwang Yeong-cheon (December 1971, Haehang 1-ho).
The report also recorded Kwon Hyuk-geun and Kim Jong-sun as KAL plane abductees and requested information from North Korea.
However, Kwon and Kim appear to have been crew members of the Geumgangsanho and Pungsungho ships, abducted in June 1970 and November 1968, respectively.
In response, the Voice of America (VOA) broadcast speculated that "the Working Group seems to have made an error."
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The report emphasized, "We express serious concern again as North Korea is not cooperating, repeatedly giving the same responses regarding the related incidents."
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