Unconverted long-term prisoners
"Unconverted long-term prisoners" is the North Korean term for northern loyalists imprisoned in South Korea who never renounced Juche. The North Korean government considers them to be "pro-reunification patriotic fighters", while South Korean scholars have described them as "pro-communist spies".
History
In March 1998, South Korean president Kim Dae-jung declared an amnesty for long-term prisoners over the age of 70, as well as some suffering from disease. In February 1999, President Kim declared another amnesty for 17 unconverted long-term prisoners. In 2000, as part of the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration, sixty-three of the prisoners were permitted to settle in North Korea. There were hopes that North Korea would reciprocate by releasing Southern prisoners of war still detained in the North. A number of them left behind family members in the South; the South's Ministry of Unification refused permission to let the family members go north with them. They crossed the border by bus through the truce village of Panmunjom at 10 AM on 2 September 2000, while a group of Southern protesters decried their return and demanded that the North return abducted Southerners; they were welcomed on the Northern side by a reception with a brass band playing revolutionary songs, and each was later awarded the National Reunification Prize.In literature and film
A book about their experiences was published in North Korea in 2001. In 2003, South Korean director Kim Dong-won released Repatriation, a documentary about the unconverted prisoners, based on more than 12 years and 800 hours of filming.List of prisoners who crossed over to North Korea in 2000
Following is a list of the 63 prisoners who went to North Korea in 2000.Personal names are given in McCune–Reischauer romanisation of the Northern spelling ; place names are given in McCune–Reischauer without diacritics for places now in North Korea, and Revised Romanisation for places now in South Korea.
| Name | Hangul | Hanja | Birth/death dates | Place of birth | Province of birth | Years in prison | Notes |
| Kang Tong-gŭn | 강동근 | Hadong | Gyeongsangnam-do | 37 | Obituary published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Tong-gi | 김동기 | 金東基 or 金東起 | Tanchon | South Hamgyong | 34 | Interviewed by Kyunghyang Shinmun before his repatriation. Published a book of essays about his experiences. Two different hanja versions of his name have been reported in the media. Birthdate given as in 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. In August 2005, the KCNA reported in that he gave a speech to a visiting group of students from the Chongryon-affiliated Korea University. | |
| Kim Myŏng-su | 김명수 | Hamhung | South Hamgyong | 37 | 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Sŏk-hyŏng | 김석형 | Pakchon | North Pyongan | 30 | Also spelled Kim Suk-hyung. One of the prisoners featured in the film Repatriation. Obituary published by KCNA. | ||
| Kim Sŏn-myŏng | 김선명 | Yangpyeong | Gyeonggi-do | 45 | Also spelled Kim Sun-myung. Joined the Korean People's Army due to disgust over the prevalence of Japanese collaborators in the South Korean administration. Captured on 15 October 1951, and sentenced to death; sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Family refused to see him; had him declared legally dead in 1975. Released in 1995. Blind due to cataracts left untreated by prison doctors. His experiences were the basis for the 2002 film The Road Taken, starring Kim Jung-gi. | ||
| Kim Yŏng-dal | 김영달 | Yeongdeok | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 30 | 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Yŏng-man | 김영만 | Gurye | Jeollanam-do | 30 | 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in September 2008. | ||
| Kim Yŏng-tae | 김영태 | Kwaksan | North Pyongan | 35 | Also spelled Kim Yong-thae. Trapped in South Korea after the Korean War, and fought as a guerilla in the Jirisan area. Obituary published by KCNA. | ||
| Kim Yŏng-gyu | 김용규 | Boseong | Jeollanam-do | 34 | 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Yong-su | 김용수 | Gyeongju | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 27 | KCNA gives his year of birth as 1932 in an announcement of his 70th birthday. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in June 2003. | ||
| Kim U-taek | 김우택 | Andong | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 40 | 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Ŭn-hwan | 김은환 | Gwangju | Gyeonggi-do | 31 | Also spelled Kim Eun-hwan. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Joined the Korean Painters' Union after moving to the North. | ||
| Kim Ik-jin | 김익진 | Yeongdeok | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 31 | Also known as Kim Il-jin. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Obituary published by KCNA. | ||
| Kim In-su | 김인수 | Tokchon | South Pyongan | 34 | In June 2001, KCNA reported that he gave a speech to a delegation of visiting students from Korea University f Japan. | ||
| Kim In-sŏ | 김인서 | Daegu | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 36 | Applied to resettle in the North in 1996, but was rejected. Obituary published by KCNA. | ||
| Kim Chong-ho | 김종호 | Gimcheon | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 31 | Obituary published by KCNA | ||
| Kim Chung-jong | 김중종 | Gimcheon | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 29 | Received a doctorate in linguistics in 2003. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | ||
| Kim Chang-wŏn | 김창원 | 金昌源 | Yeongdeungpo-gu | Seoul | 31 | 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in April 2006. Interviewed by The Pyongyang Times in September 2008. | |
| Ko Kwang-in | 고광인 | 高光仁 | Gochang | Jeollabuk-do | 34 | An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in May 2003. KCNA published 70th birthday congratulations in February 2005, but did not give a birthdate. | |
| Ryu Un-hyŏng | 류운형 | Riwon | South Hamgyong | 34 | Prior to his arrest, held various political posts including head of the Youth Department of the Chorwon, Kangwon, Committee of the WPK and chief of the education section of the Information Department of the Kangwon Provincial Committee of the WPK. Obituary published by KCNA. | ||
| Ryu Yŏn-chŏl | 류연철 | Andong | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 27 | KCNA gives his date of birth as in his 90th birthday announcement | ||
| Ryu Han-uk | 류한욱 | Cholsan | North Pyongan | 37 | KCNA gives his year of birth as 1917 in his 90th birthday announcement | ||
| Ri Kyŏng-gu | 리경구 | Gongju | Chungcheongnam-do | 38 | An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in June 2006. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | ||
| Ri Kyŏng-chan | 리경찬 | 李京贊 | Kaesong | 35 | Joined the Korean Painters' Union after his return to the North. 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. Essays of his were printed in the Rodong Sinmun in February 2005 and December 2006. | ||
| Ri Kong-sun | 리공순 | Seosan | Chungcheongnam-do | 33 | 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in November 2006. | ||
| Ri Tu-gyun | 리두균 | 李斗均 | Chungju | Chungcheongbuk-do | 31 | An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in October 2004. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | |
| Ri Se-gyun | 리세균 | Jeonju | Jeollabuk-do | 30 | 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA | ||
| Ri Chae-ryong | 리재룡 | Yangyang | Gangwon-do | 30 | First daughter Ri Chuk-bok born, according to KCNA | ||
| Ri Jong | 리종 | Yeongdong | Chungcheongbuk-do | 25 | Birth date stated as in 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in October 2006. | ||
| Ri Jong-hwan | 리종환 | Incheon | 43 | Obituary published by KCNA | |||
| Pak Mun-jae | 박문재 | Kaesong | 28 | Imprisoned in Daejeon; released in 1993. Still alive as of 2004, according to KCNA. | |||
| Pak Wan-gyu | 박완규 | Cheongwon | Chungcheongbuk-do | 33 | An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in December 2006. | ||
| Pang Chae-sun | 방재순 | Hoengseong | Gangwon-do | 38 | An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in November 2006. 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | ||
| Sŏk Yong-hwa | 석용화 | Yangsan | Gyeongsangnam-do | 20 | Married to Lee Chun-ja of South Korea; two daughters. Left them behind to cross over to North Korea. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | ||
| Son Sŏng-mo | 손성모 | 孫聖模 | Buan | Jeollabuk-do | 19 | Released in June 2000. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in July 2006. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. | |
| Song Sang-jun | 송상준Birth date|1927|7|29|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|신광수lang\|ko-Hant|辛光洙Birth date|1929|6|27|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|신린수Birth date|1918|4|1|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|신인영Birth date|1929|12|6|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|안영기Birth date|1929|6|19|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|양정호Birth date|1931|4|3|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|오형식Birth date|1932|1|24|df=yesDeath date and age|2006|9|3|1932|1|24|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|우용각lang\|ko-Hant|禹龍覺Birth date|1929|11|29|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|윤용기Birth date|1926|8|2|df=yesDeath date and age|2001|06|13|1926|8|2|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|윤희보Birth date|1917|10|10|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|임병호Birth date|1916|9|1|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|장병락Birth date|1934|7|25|df=yesDeath date and age|2009|10|11|1934|7|25|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|장호Birth date|1920|11|29|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|전진Birth date|1923|7|6|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|전창기Birth date|1918|4|10|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|조창손Birth date|1929|8|29|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|최선묵Birth date|1928|7|1|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|최수일Birth date|1939|5|25|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|최하종Birth date|1927|3|21|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|한백렬Birth date|1920|2|16|df=yesDeath date and age|2009|5|13|1920|2|16|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|한장호Birth date|1923|5|1|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|한종호Birth date|1918|1|31|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|한춘익Birth date|1925|6|10|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|함세환Birth date|1932|12|12|df=yesBirth date|2003|3|19|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|홍경선Birth date|1925|5|21|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|홍명기Birth date|1929|4|5|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|홍문거Birth date|1921|9|14|df=yeslang\|ko-Hang|황용갑Birth date|1924|5|28|df=yes |