Regarding a case in which a "northbound person (an alternative term for a defector from North Korea)" who sent money to family left in North Korea was fined by a court, the Ministry of Unification said humanitarian considerations should also be taken into account.
A Ministry of Unification Spokesperson told reporters on the 16th, when asked about the government's view of the recent guilty verdict by the judiciary on a defector's remittance to North Korea, that this was the position. It is interpreted to mean that, beyond simply applying the law, the special circumstances of national division and the humanitarian purpose of supporting family members should be handled in a balanced way.
On the 15th, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court applied charges of violating the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act to defector A, who, at the request of other defectors, acted as an intermediary to deliver funds to family in North Korea, and sentenced A to a fine of 10 million won.
On this, an official at the Ministry of Unification said, "Many northbound people remit money to family left in the North to help with living expenses," and added, "Because there is no law under the current system that can clearly regulate this, such (criminal punishment) cases arise."
At the same time, the Ministry of Unification is reviewing the facts after receiving a proposal from an abductee rights group to officially recognize additional people abducted after the Korean War.
An official at the Ministry of Unification said, "Choi Seong-ryong, head of the Family Assembly Abducted to North Korea, presented materials, saying there is a need to additionally recognize three people as abductees," and added, "We will review the materials and, after discussions with relevant agencies, decide whether to convene the committee for deliberation on compensation and support for abductee victims."
Meanwhile, the number of abductees during the pre- and post-armistice period confirmed so far through official government screening totaled 516 as of the end of last year, including 457 abducted fishermen.