POW during Vietnam War sent to N. Korea

Park Chung-Hwan (58, Chairman of Korean People`s Association in Florida), who had escaped as a prisoner of war (POW) during Vietnam War, held a press conference to introduce his personal Vietnam War memoirs at Cecil Restaurant in Seoul. Park asserted that there are records in the CIA confirming 9 Korean POWs had been sent to North Korea. He added that when discussing the exchange of the South holding long-term non-converted prisoners and the North holding Korean soldiers, the return of the 9 POWs should also be included in the agenda.

However, Park was unable to provide any solid proof or circumstantial evidence except for a North Korean propaganda picture showing a Korean soldier as a defector to the North. In relation to this issue, an official of the Ministry of Defense remarked this was the first time such an assertion was made, saying that almost all identities of MIAs had been already confirmed. He added nonetheless that the Ministry will make inquiries into this matter.