Six surviving long-term prisoners of conscience have officially requested the government to send them to North Korea.
A Ministry of Unification official stated on the 18th that they recently received a request for repatriation from six individuals, including Yang Won-jin (96), Ahn Hak-seop (95), Park Su-bun (94), Yang Hee-cheol (91), Kim Young-sik (91), and Lee Kwang-geun (80).
The Ahn Hak-seop Repatriation Promotion Committee held a press conference on the 18th of last month, urging the repatriation of Mr. Ahn through the Panmunjom in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. It is said that Mr. Ahn and five other long-term prisoners of conscience requested repatriation to the government following the press conference.
A government official noted, "We are well aware of the demands of the long-term prisoners of conscience," but added, "No decision has been made yet about whether we will proceed with their repatriation."
In the meantime, Mr. Ahn's side has stated that they will depart from Imjingak in Paju at 10 a.m. on the 20th to head to Panmunjom, requesting the government to provide assistance with North Korean notifications, passing through the civilian control line, and coordination with the United Nations Command (UNC) regarding the travel and repatriation procedures.
Mr. Ahn was arrested in April 1953, convicted under the National Defense Law (for treason), and served 42 years in prison before being released in 1995.
During the Kim Dae-jung administration, 63 long-term prisoners of conscience were repatriated through Panmunjom in September of the same year, following the inter-Korean summit on June 15, 2000, but Mr. Ahn remained, stating, "I will fight until the Americans leave."
The repatriation of long-term prisoners of conscience to North Korea has not occurred in the 25 years since the first repatriation in 2000.