|
South Korea-born Kim Young-nam, who was kidnapped by North Korea in 1978, is to be reunited with his mother Choi Gye-wol after 28 years. The two will meet at the next round of North-South family reunions at the North¡¯s Mt. Kumgang resort on June 22-24. Kim is said to have married Japan¡¯s most famous abduction victim Megumi Yokota in the North.
In a telegram to Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, North Korea's Senior Cabinet Councilor Kwon Ho-ung said Pyongyang was preparing to reunite Kim with his mother on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the June 15, 2000 Joint Declaration by the two Koreas.
 |
|
Choi Gye-wol, the mother of Kim Young-nam who was abducted by North Korea in 1978, and her daughter Kim Young-ja, weep during a press conference in Seoul on Thursday. North Korea said it will let Choi see her son at reunions of separated families later this month./AP-Yonhap
|
 |
|
The North did not mention the fact that Kim Young-nam is a kidnap victim. "At the 18th round of ministerial talks in April, we stated that the issue of Kim Young-nam was being investigated by the concerned agency," Kwon said in the telegram. "Recently, that agency was able to determine the whereabouts of Kim Young-nam." Kwon expressed hope that Seoul ¡°will take responsible measures to make sure that there are no obstacles to this meeting.¡±
Kim was abducted by North Korean operatives on a beach in North Jeolla Province when he was still in high school. Recent DNA tests conducted by the Japanese and Korean governments found that Kim Hye-gyong, who the North says is the daughter of Kim Young-nam and Megumi Yokota, is indeed the granddaughter of Kim Young-nam¡¯s mother.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
