496 Captives Alive in North Korea

The Korean government has confirmed the number of living and dead and the identity of the captives inside North Korea from the Korean War, totaling to some 1,155 people. The government had previously estimated and announced the number of captives to be 41,971 people after the Korean War, but it was the first time that a specific number of living and dead and the identity confirmed was announced.

According to the data the Ministry of Defense showed to the public yesterday, there were 496 captives alive, 484 dead and 175 missing in North Korea as of late August. An official from the Ministry of Defense said, “With the statements made by the North Korean defectors and the relatives of the missing from the Korean War, we have grasped the number of the seized captives, the living and dead ones, and their identity, but we will not announce the list in public for the safety of their personal rights.” Meanwhile, there are an estimated 32 captives who had succeeded in defecting to South Korea.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com