Representatives give new hope to families of abductees
P.3, Column 2, Dong-A Daily, May 11, 1956

Millions of family members of abductees had their hopes raised and spirits lifted as two representatives of the International Red Cross visited Korea. The families hoped this might bring them the opportunity to meet beloved husbands, fathers, and brothers. They had been trying to find out about beloved family members taken to the North and had asked for the help of the National Assembly, the South Korean government, and organizations including the United Nations. But all their efforts were in vain, and they had all but given up before the reunification of Korea.
However, since they came to address the issue of abductions, the visit of the International Red Cross representatives gave new hope to these families. On the 9th, representatives of families of abductees went to the airport to greet the special guests and expressed their expectations and hopes. On the afternoon of the 10th, they met with the representatives of the International Red Cross and asked for their help to bring back their beloved family members. The following statements reveal the hopes, expectations and despair of the families.

From despair to hope
High expectations for the swift return of abductees

◇ Jeong Jegon-won (44)/daughter of Jeong In-bo, Inspection Chairman -I was so happy to hear that the representatives of the International Red Cross came to Korea. The Association of Families of Persons Kidnapped at the Time of June 25th Incident (KWAFA) has made various efforts for the repatriation of abductees, such as visiting relevant institutions including the National Assembly, but all their efforts were in vain. Hopefully, this time, my father will finally come home. After he was abducted, my six brothers and sisters and I went through so many difficulties and hardships. We barely make a living with the money that my younger brothers and sisters are earning. The house we live in now belongs to a friend. My 62-year-old mother has been ill in bed for a long time and cries day and night. Whenever she says she wants to keep my father’s clothes clean so that he can wear them when he comes home, we all cry as we miss him so badly.

◇ Mr. Baek (28)/eldest son of Baek Gwan-su (68), President of Dong-A Daily and Member of the Constituent Assembly - I have high hopes for the visit of the representatives of the International Red Cross. After my father was abducted, we had many financial difficulties. We barely made ends meet both when we escaped to South and returned to Seoul. Now we are living off the money that I earn as a teacher. However, what I make is not enough because my sisters and brothers are still in school. We miss him even more when there are worries and troubles at home. My mother prays day and night for his return. We have visited every organization we thought might be helpful in bringing him back home, but all our efforts were to no avail. We sincerely hope that this time we will be able to meet him again.

◇ Baek Yeon-jin (24)/daughter of Baek Sang-gyu (76), Member of the 2nd National Assembly, ex-Vice President of the Korean Red Cross - The visit of the International Red Cross representatives is the happiest news I’ve heard of late. When Seoul was recaptured on September 28 and the ROK Army made its way to the North, we went along with them in search of my father. We also waited for days for his return at Panmun-jeom, an area on the de facto border between North and South Korea, during the POW exchange. However, my father didn’t return and finally we all-but gave up hope. Maybe this time my father will come back. My mother goes to Buddhist temple to pray for the return of my father; so do the rest of our family members. Eight of us are in Korea and my two older sisters and one brother are in the United States.

List of 17,940 abductees is delivered

The Korean Red Cross passed on the list of South Korean civilians who had been abducted by North Korea to the representatives of the International Red Cross on the 9th, and asked for the help of the International Red Cross on the repatriation of abductees. At 4 p.m. on the 9th, William Mitchell and Eugene Dewbic, two representatives of the International Red Cross, had a meeting with the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs for about 15 minutes; Kim Sinsil, Secretary General of the Korean Red Cross, acted as their guide. In this meeting, the list of 17,940 abductees was delivered in person. From 10 a.m. to the afternoon of the 10th, Kim Sinsil, Kim Ho-jin, the director of Communications Department, Mitchell and Dewbi call met in the office of the President of the Korean Red Cross. They discussed the activities of the Red Cross and reviewed the issue of civilian abductees and their repatriation.
The outcome of the meeting has not been disclosed. However, according to an employee of the Korean Red Cross, the repatriation issue will be addressed by the relevant person in the headquarters of the International Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. The Korean Red Cross hopes that the issue will go forward to the General Assembly of International Federations of the Red Cross, which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India on January 20 next year. From 2 p.m. on the 10th, Mitchell and Dewbic will review the Korean Red Cross hospital, the lounge of the ROK Army, and an orphanage in Dongdae-mun, and participate in a cocktail party hosted by the President of the Korean Red Cross.