• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

KCNA Blasts Discrimination against Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in S. Korea

KCNA

    Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Unconverted long-term prisoners in south Korea together with those concerned of the Catholic Society for Supporting Reunification applied for their tour of Mt Kumgang in mid-November through the "Committee for the Promotion of the Repatriation of Unconverted Long-term Prisoners". But the south Korean authorities turned down it under the absurd pretext that "the period of protection and observation of them under the Law on Observation for Public Peace is not over" and "there is an enemy-benefiting charge".
    They disallowed the tour of Mt. Kumgang by the above-said people only though they do not put any restriction on any others. This is an action in violation of the spirit of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and an unpardonable human rights abuse.
    It is the cherished desire of the south Korean people to tour Mt. Kumgang, a world famous mountain.
    Considerate of this desire, the north took an exceptional broad-minded measure to enable any compatriot at home and abroad to tour the mountain and has conducted various undertakings to this end.
    For the last five years since the start of the tour hundreds of thousands of south Koreans from all walks of life who love the country and the nation and desire reunification have visited there. They included politicians, businessmen and government officials.
    The tour of Mt. Kumgang offers a good occasion not only to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the country but get a better understanding of the nation and pool the will of compatriots in the north and the south.
    The unconverted long-term prisoners spent most of their life behind bars with grudge, longing to see the north, awake or asleep. Yet, the south Korean authorities did not allow them even to enjoy the scenic beauty of the mountain by the force of the above-mentioned law, a leftover of the past era of confrontation, going against the desire of the nation. This is really surprising.
    This inhumanitarian action clearly proves that south Korea is a graveyard of freedom and human rights as it savagely violates even the elementary freedom and right of everybody.
    By nature the issue of the repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners is clearly stipulated in the joint declaration as it is pending an urgent solution between the north and the south. So, they should have already been repatriated to the north as desired by them.
    But the south Korean authorities are still persecuting them under that law, virtually detaining them in invisible prisons.
    They should stop suppressing the free activities of the unconverted long-term prisoners and send them back to the north without delay as demanded by them in the spirit of the joint declaration.