 |
|
Panmunjeom
|
Authorities have yet to determine individual’s reasons for entering North Korean territory
A South Korean citizen who illegally entered North Korea on July 22 was returned by the North via Panmunjeom. “At 11:00 this morning, we were handed back a South Korean citizen by the North by way of Panmunjeom,” the Ministry of Unification said in an Aug. 7 release. The South Korean citizen who entered North Korea illegally was a 34-year-old surnamed Seo who appeared to have been caught by North Korean authorities on July 22 after entering North Korean territory. No information was confirmed on Seo’s reasons for entering North Korea illegally. “The relevant organization is currently questioning this Seo individual to verify the circumstances of their entry,” a ministry official said. The Ministry of Unification explained, “On the morning of Aug. 6, the North sent a message in the same of its Red Cross central committee to inform us that a South Korean citizen arrested on July 22 after illegally entering North Korea territory would be returned to us via Panmunjeom at 11 am on Aug. 7.” “Yesterday afternoon, we notified the North that we would be accepting [Seo] back,” it said. “The South Korean government takes a positive view of the North returning its citizen from a humanitarian standpoint,” the ministry added. North Korea has returned South Koreans in the past after they crossed over into its territory. In summer 1996, novelist Kim Ha-ki crossed the Duman (Tumen) River while inebriated. He was found by North Korean authorities, who returned him to the South two weeks later after verifying his identity. The North also returned other South Korean citizens who entered its territory on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2015. A group of six people in 2013, two separate individuals in 2014, and five people from four illegal entries in 2015 were all returned to South Korea by North Korean authorities. By Noh Ji-won, staff reporter Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
