Families of detainees in North Korea to
be recognized as victims of abduction and receive consolation money
-November 2, 2023-
□ North Korea has detained six people, including missionaries Kim
Jeong-wook, Kim Kuk-gi, and Choi Chun-gil, against their will for an
extended period of time. In addition, the North has sentenced our
people to severe punishments and refused to provide even minimal
information on confirming the life or death of those who had helped
the under-privileged in North Korea.
ㅇ Such illegal measures and acts against human rights of the North
Korean regime have continued for over a decade, causing their families
to suffer not only emotional pain but also various other difficulties.
□ Protecting its people is the most fundamental and foremost
responsibility of a nation.
ㅇ On August 18, the leaders of the Republic of Korea, the United
States and Japan adopted a joint statement “reaffirming a shared
commitment to the immediate resolution of the issues of abductees,
detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of war (POWs).”
ㅇ In addition, on September 8, the Ministry of Unification launched
the Abductees Response Team under the Minister of Unification to
resolve the issues of detainees, abductees, and POWs, and called on
religious communities and private organizations for their cooperation
in verifying the status of detainees and their repatriation.
ㅇ Despite such endeavors, the ROK Government’s efforts towards the
families of the victims to relieve their pain and provide protection
may not have been sufficient.
□ The Ministry of Unification took another substantial step by
recognizing the families of detainees in North Korea as victims of
abduction, and conducted consultations and legal reviews with the
relevant ministries to provide consolation money.
ㅇ On November 2, the Deliberative Committee on Compensation and
Assistance to Victims of Abduction by North Korea held a meeting
during which it decided to provide consolation money to victims, in
accordance with Article 6 of the Act on Compensation and Assistance to
Victims of Abduction by North Korea after Conclusion of the Military
Armistice Agreement.
ㅇ The amount of consolation money, which ranges from 15 million to
20 million KRW per family, is calculated by multiplying the monthly
minimum wage by the period of abduction, with a ceiling of 36 times
the monthly minimum wage at the time of the payment decision.
ㅇ We hope that this will provide comfort and assistance to the
families of detainees in North Korea.
□ The ROKG will continue to work closely with the international
community to raise awareness at home and abroad, working with private
organizations including religious communities to substantially resolve
the issues of detainees, abductees, and POWs.
ㅇ We ask the people of Korea for your continued support to ensure
that all detainees in North Korea can return to their families as soon
as possible. //The End//
