South Korea Floats Cash for Prisoner Exchange With North, The South Korean government is considering the establishment of a cash-for-prisoner exchange program with North Korea. Most of the people Seoul wants to free are prisoners of war who have been held by the North since 1953.
Lee Wan-koo, who was recently appointed South Korea's prime minister, told parliament this week he wants to bring home prisoners of war who have been held in the North for more than 60 years, as well as other South Koreans who have been abducted by Pyongyang.
One way to possibly do this, he said, is to pay Pyongyang, the same way West Germany paid East Germany during the cold war to free thousands of political prisoners under a program called “Freikauf.”
He said a Korean-style ‘Freikauf’ is worth considering, and he will direct the government to conduct a more in-depth study on the issue.
The South Korean government believes that more than 500 POWs, who were captured by the North prior to the end of the Korean War in 1953, are still being held today. Since hostilities ended, North Korea is believed to have arrested or abducted hundreds more citizens from the South for a variety of reasons.....Read More
Lee Wan-koo, who was recently appointed South Korea's prime minister, told parliament this week he wants to bring home prisoners of war who have been held in the North for more than 60 years, as well as other South Koreans who have been abducted by Pyongyang.
One way to possibly do this, he said, is to pay Pyongyang, the same way West Germany paid East Germany during the cold war to free thousands of political prisoners under a program called “Freikauf.”
He said a Korean-style ‘Freikauf’ is worth considering, and he will direct the government to conduct a more in-depth study on the issue.
The South Korean government believes that more than 500 POWs, who were captured by the North prior to the end of the Korean War in 1953, are still being held today. Since hostilities ended, North Korea is believed to have arrested or abducted hundreds more citizens from the South for a variety of reasons.....Read More
