June 26, 2004, Chosun Ilbo
“The Government Must Work to Find Abductees”
Advocacy Group Condemns Unfair Blind-Eye Policy Toward Abductees


Around 70 members from the North Korean Abductees’ Family Union held an event commemorating the 54th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, entitled Where is My Abducted Father Now.” Held at Independence Park, the event also called on the government to take proactive measures to resolve the abductee issue.
The Seodaemun Prison was where South Korean civilians arrested by the North Korean military after the start of the Korean War were held until they were taken northwards.
“The plight of abductees and their families has been ignored in the government’s human rights policies and as the government has established policies to support North Korea,” said family union President Kim Seong Ho. “The government must establish a reasonable human rights policy that will lead to the confirmation of the whereabouts of abductees, reunions and their repatriation.” The family union demands that the government establish a law that will recover the honor and provide support for the abductees, link assistance to North Korea with the abductee issue, and confirm the number of Korean war abductees.

After the event, family members sent around 200 balloons with notes expressing hope for the return of the abductees, and then visited the viewing point at Mt. Dora.