Nationwide signature-gathering campaign held for repatriation of civilian abductees to mark 14th anniversary of Korean War
P.1, Chosun Daily, Jun. 25, 1964

7,034 civilian abductees registered
Chosun Daily plans to cooperate with international organization to take matter to UNGA this autumn

The South Korean authorities estimate there are about 17,500 civilian abductees in the North, ofwhom 7,034 (6,884 men, 150 women; the oldest at 89, the youngest at 18) were reported to the International Red Cross.The Military Armistice Commission pursued negotiations for the repatriation of these civilians in the year after the Korean War.

North Korea repeatedly refuses repatriation Under the pretext that no civilian abductees are willing to return to the South, North Korea has been receiving displaced people while refusing to send any home. This has led to a change in the South Korean government’s approach; asking for cooperation from the International Red Crossand Korean War Abductees’ Family Association. When two International Red Crossrepresentatives visited South Korea in 1956, the Korean Red Crossdelivered thema list of 7,034 registered abductees and requested their help in bringing them back home. On July 10, 1957, representatives of the Korean Red Cross submitted a resolution to the 19thGeneral Assembly of the International Red Cross in New Delhi, demanding the immediate repatriation of civilian abductees with the support of five countries—the U.S., the U.K., the Soviet Union, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Furthermore, South Korea succeeded in getting approval for a Canadian bill that called upon the North to allow civilians displaced during the Korean War to reunite with their families as soon as possible.

Fates of only 337 survivors announced
South Korea’s efforts, and some progress,wereall brought to naught by North Korea’s announcement of only 337 civilian abductees’ fates, something done simply to save face in the International General Assembly. At present the situation is very dire, with the fates of the other civilian abductees entirely unknown, and negotiations for their repatriation at an impasse. Before we talk about Article 13, Paragraph 2 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, which states,“Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country,” we should rescue our brothers and sisters who are being kept in the North against their will. The signature-gathering campaign istestament to agreater fraternity, embracing the pain of the displaced as our own and mustering support for their repatriation. These national efforts will resonate as a heartfelt cry at the 19th UN General Assembly, which is slated for the end of November, as well as at the ICRC and human rights bodies.

Figures by age, occupation and legal domicile

◇ By age (as of 1964)
Age 18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46 50 54 58 62 66 70 74 78 Etc.
No. 1 16 201 303 248 190 215 138 124 101 86 48 19 20 7 3 5
Age 86/ 1
Age 88/ 1
Age 89/ 3

Total
: 7,034

◇ By place of legal domicile and abduction to North Korea
North Hamgyeong Province 87, South Hamgyeong Province 226, North Pyeongan Province 295, South Pyeongan Province 216, North Chungcheong Province 253, South Chungcheong Province 312, North Jeolla Province 133, South Jeolla Province 180, Hwanghae Province 312, Gangwon Province 545, Seoul Metropolitan City 2,199, Gyeonggi Province 1,695, North Gyeongsang Province 455, South Gyeongsang Province 203, Jeju Province 23

◇ By occupation
Politicians 85, public servants 1,359, judges and prosecutors 34, lawyers 72, journalists 75, businessmen 208, merchants 966, ironwork 162, civil engineering and construction 66, people of religion 82, educators 355, medical personnel 199, artists 36, dairy business 15, fishing industry 6, forestry 6, non-employed 248, bankers 94, office workers 737, interpreters 16, technicians 330, laborers 177, students 677, agriculture 100, mine industry 24

Let’s bring back our loved ones from the North
Chosun Daily to launch nationwide signature-gathering campaign from July 1 for "Restoration of freedom and human rights of civilian abductees" with the support of the Korean Red Cross. Chosun Daily will start a signature-gathering campaign to call for the repatriation of civilian abductees from July 1 until the end of October, when the UN General Assembly is to be held. Under the auspices of the Korean Red Cross, we will mobilize our entire network of central and regional offices, including the head office, the administrative office of branches, and other branches. We hope that all 30 million Koreans will actively participate in this nationwide campaign to find our fathers, husbands, sons, brothers and sisters, all of whom we miss dearly, and restore their freedom and human rights. We are open to your comments and advice in finding more effective ways to pursue the campaign and arouse public opinion. Please contact the editorial office to offer your valuable opinions.

Byeon Yeong-tae’s story about the Geneva Conference
Byeon Yeong-tae, who gave a speech on civilian abductees at the 3rd meeting of the 1954 Geneva Conference in May, recalled that moment. “I’m so frustrated that we didn’t get any result from the conference,” he said.

He visited the International Red Cross headquarters in Geneva to ask for help, and received a favorable response, but North Korea refused to speak to the International Red Cross. “If the repatriation of civilian abductees had been a prerequisite of signing a ceasefire between the two Koreas in Panmun-jeom, an area on the de facto border between North and South Korea, then their fates would have been known even if they could not be repatriated,” Byeon added with frustration on the24th. He has now changed careers from diplomatic to political fields, and lives in retirement in Sindang 2-dong.