hankyoreh

a Hyundai Asan employee that has been detained for 136 days in Kaesong

Hyundai Asan employee Yu Seong-jin, who had been detained by North Korean authorities in Kaesong (Gaeseong) for 136 days, was released on Aug 13. Yu had been held in detention since March 30.

Chun Hae-sung, the spokesperson of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, said, “North Korean officials extradited Yu after releasing the results of their investigations.” Chun added, “Afterwards Cho Gun-sik, the president of Hyundai-Asan, took custody of him at 5:10 p.m. at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.” Chun added, “The South Korea government does not express an apology or regret regarding Yu’s release, nor have we given money to North Korea.” He also said, “I have heard that Hyundai-Asan has expressed regret and has made a pledge to prevent anything similar from happening in the future.”

In regards to Yu’s detention on March 30, North Korea had released a public announcement that said, “Yu criticized our regime and enticed a woman of our country to defect.”

After meeting Cho at the office of Kaesong Industrial District Management Committee, Yu was allowed to return to South Korea through the Dorasan C.I.Q. located in Paju city, Gyeonggi Province. Yu said to reporters at the Dorasan C.I.Q, “I am so happy over my safe return and I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the government, Hyundai-Asan, and everyone who has put in a great deal of effort to secure my release.”

On the matter of Yu’s release,　Presidential Spokesperson Lee Dong-kwan said, “Even though belated, it is fortunate that Yu is able to return to his family members safely.” In response to about the significance of the release on policy matters, Lee said, “The administration is maintaining its North Korea policy.” He also said that report of Yu’s release was immediately reported to President Lee Myung-bak.

“Employees who reside in Kaesong should be observant of North Korea’s laws in order to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, and we ask the South Korean government to take measures to also prevent anything like this from happening in the future,” said the Association of Tenant Companies in the Kaesong Industrial Complex in its statement welcoming Yu back to South Korea. The association also said, “We hope that his release is able to contribute to the betterment of inter-Korean relations and cooperation in the Kaesong Industrial Complex project.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]