Prisoners may return to N. Korea

The government has revealed a plan to repatriate 62 North Korea prisoners who have refused to realign with the South. As a first step, the government plans to hand over the list of the persons through Panmunjom on August 18.

The decision was made at a meeting of the standing committee of the National Security Council led by Unification Minister Park Jae-Kyu. The prisoners will follow the repatriation process established for Lee In-Mo, who was repatriated in 1993 and sent to the North the way the family reunion delegate exchanges took place.

The decision came about through a joint interview by the government and Korea National Red Cross officials, who revealed that the prisoners including the well-known Kim In-Suh and Ham Sae-Hwan desired to be repatriated to the North.

However, the exclusion of Chung Soon-Tae, 79, and Jung Soon-Duk 67, also known as the "Last Commie," both of whom had signed a declaration of realignment, is expected to cause some conflict, as they both have revealed their desire to be repatriated, too.