December 1, 2000, Chosun Ilbo, p. 29
Korean War Abductee Advocacy Group Established
Kim Min Sik


The “Korean War Abductees’ Family Union” (KWAFU), composed of families of those abducted by North Korea during the Korean War, was established on November 30th. The group has begun activities focused on investigating the fate of the abductees and bringing about the repatriation of the survivors and the remains of the dead.

A group of almost 50 family members of abductees gathered at the “Korean Church 100th Anniversary Memorial Hall” in Yeonji-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, for a ceremony marking the official establishment of the family union. “The South Korean government has shown no interest in trying to repatriate, investigate, or confirm the fate of the estimated 85,000 - 90,000 people who were abducted during the Korean War,” the group said. “It is now the time for us to raise our voices and bring about the repatriation of our abducted family members.”

The group called for the South Korean government to show more interest in the families of abductees, saying that, “The only abductees talked about after the June 15 North-South Summit meeting have been the 454 people abducted after the end of the Korean War.” The group decided to send a petition to the South Korean president and maintain a website (www.survive625.or.kr) that contains a wide-range of documents related to the wartime abductees issue.

After holding a general assembly meeting, the group left for Central City in Banpo-dong to hold a demonstration calling for the repatriation of wartime abductees in front of the North-South Divided Families Collective Reunion Plaza. Police blocked their bus saying that the group had failed to receive a permit for a demonstration. The group protested angrily as a result.
KWAFU President Mi-Il Lee’s father, Lee Song Hwan, ran an organic farm before being taken away by North Korean forces. “The divided family reunions happening now are among displaced people [not abductees],” Lee said. “The government has to realize that while it may not be easy to confirm whether abductees are alive or dead after all these years, it must not ignore the pain abductee families have suffered any more.”