Seoul has signaled aโข willingness to discuss the return โขof long-held Northโค Korean prisoners of war โขin exchange for the release of South Korean citizens currently detained in North Korea. The offer, revealed โคWednesday by Seoul’s Nationalโ Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to NK News, represents โa potential shift in approach to securing the freedomโฃ of its nationals.
The move comes โคafter President Lee Jae-myungโค stated he was previously unaware of South Korean detaineesโ held inโ the democratic โคPeople’s โRepublic of Korea (DPRK). Wi indicated Seoul โis prepared โto “make efforts, including consultations with the North,โค to secure โthe release of these ROK citizens,” and as part of those efforts,โข is “willing to send unconverted communistsโฃ – the long-term prisoners -โข to the North.” The offer raises complex humanitarian and political considerations, as โขit involves prisoners โheld for decades โsince the Korean War. โ
These “unconverted communists” refer to โNorth Korean prisoners of war who โขchose โnot to defect to theโ South after the 1950-53 Korean War armistice. โDespiteโ numerous attemptsโค at repatriation over the years,a โคsmall number have remained in South Korea,refusing to renounce theirโ ideologies.The โexact number โฃofโฃ these long-term POWs isโ not publicly known.
Wi’s statement to โข NK News โฃ indicates a proactiveโค stance from Seoul โin addressing the issue of detainedโข citizens, a sensitive โคtopic frequentlyโฃ enough โhandled with discretion. While previous administrations have explored various avenues for securing theโข release of South Korean detainees, this is the firstโ public indication โฃof a willingness to consider the repatriation of North Korean pows as a bargaining chip. The potential forโ negotiations remainsโข uncertain,and the DPRK has not yet โขpublicly โresponded to โthe โขoffer.
