N. Korean Freedom Coalition Writes to Lee Myung Bak, Demands Inquiry into Massacre of 22 Refugees

If you haven’t heard of this yet, the background is here, here, and here. Now, the North Korean Freedom Coalition has written to South Korea’s new President to ask him to look into why this happened. I should say that I had nothing to do with the writing of their excellent letter.

Not to be confused with this more recent massacre, in case you’re keeping track.

If you’d like to join or contribute to the North Korean Freedom Coalition — I’ve been a member and occasional contributor for several years — their Web site is here.

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Dear Mr. President:

We are writing on behalf of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, a nonpartisan group of over 65 American and Korean-American human rights, religious, and non-governmental organizations representing millions of American citizens. Shortly before you took the office, a very serious incident occurred in South Korea to which we request prompt action by your administration.

In the early morning hours of February 8, 2008, during the New Year holidays by the lunar calendar, twenty-two (22) North Koreans drifted to South Korean waters in the Western Sea near Yonpyong Island. These people were from Hwang Hae Nam Doh Province, and thirteen (13) of them were from the same family identified as Roh and relatives (including teenagers), and nine (9) of them were neighbors, respectively, according to the news reports. They were spotted and picked up by the South Korean Navy around 5:30 A.M. The Navy reported the incident to the ROK authorities (Ministry of Unification, National Intelligence Service, and Joint Chiefs of Staff) and they were handed over to the authorities. At about 8:20 A.M., North Korea contacted the ROK Navy boat via hotline, and demanded return of the twenty-two (22) North Koreans they claimed drifted to South Korean waters by accident. The ROK National Intelligence Service interrogated these individuals for only four to eight (4-8) hours, confirmed that the boat people did not want to defect to South Korea, and returned them on the same date back to North Korea via Panmoonjom at about 6:30 P.M.

We are not sure how this incident was known to the public initially on February 16th, but it appears the ROK authorities did not want to make it public for eight (8) days, until the incident was reported on the internet and in the news media. As you know, Mr. President, North Korea never allows a family to go on a boat together. We find it very doubtful that these people really came out to the sea for fishing. Furthermore, it was reported that all twenty-two (22) people may have been all executed secretly by the North Korean National Security Bureau when they were repatriated to North Korea. The North Korean authorities on February 28th denied the allegation that these individuals were all executed.

We realize you have many pressing demands on you as you begin your administration, but this incident is and should be of the utmost importance to your administration. Members of our coalition, many of whom have worked on North Korean human rights issues for over ten years, believe strongly that these people came to South Korea risking their lives to seek freedom and a better life. They are, by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, citizens of South Korea. The fact that the South Korean authorities sent them back to North Korea, whether they wanted to go back or not, after at most, only eight (8) hours of interrogation, is deeply disturbing. In cases such as these, the South Korean authorities generally spend at least one month interrogating North Korean asylum seekers to determine if they came to South Korea by accident or on purpose. If they were executed or sent to the infamous political prison camps in North Korea, it is not just disturbing but this action by the outgoing South Korean administration should be strongly condemned by your administration.

We request the following:

1) The South Korean authorities who were involved in this incident, Ministry of Unification, National Intelligence Services, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Police, must disclose all documents and records regarding this incident now without delay, including the photos, identities, and statements (both written and recorded) of the twenty-two (22) people returned to North Korea.

If there is any evidence that they were repatriated against their will, the officials responsible for this incomprehensible and irresponsible action must be investigated, brought to justice and punished for their action.

2) The South Korean government must demand of the North Korean government verifiable proof that these twenty-two (22) people were not executed or sent to prison, and their public guarantee these people will not be punished in any way because of this incident. We cannot and should not rely on claims by the North Korean regime that they are all safe without evidence to prove this claim.

Please do not let these twenty-two (22) boat people from North Korea be forgotten without finding out the truth of this incident and what happened to them when they were sent back to North Korea.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Scholte Sin U Nam Rabbi Abraham Cooper Pastor Heemoon Lee
Chairman Vice Chairman Vice Chairman Vice Chairman

Ann Buwalda Mariam Bell Sue Yoon Logan
Treasurer Legislative Chair Administrator