TITLE=KOREAN PRISONERS (L-ONLY)
INTRO: South Korean President Kim Dae-jung says
he believes there are up to 800 South Koreans
being held in neighboring North Korea and that
many of them may have been there since the Korean
War of the 1950's. The statement comes at time
when relations between the two Korea's are
improving. Andrew Wood reports from the South
Korean capital, Seoul.
TEXT: In a nationwide television address,
President Kim said North Korea is holding South
Koreans against their will. Mr. Kim said about
half of them are prisoners of war captured
between 1950 and 1953.
Mr. Kim says the rest of the South Koreans being
held are fishermen and people abducted by the
North. His comments come at a sensitive time.
For the past two-and-a-half years, Mr. Kim has
tried to lure the North Korea out of its
isolation with what he calls a "sunshine policy"
of engagement -- with some success. It led to his
historic summit in June with the leader of North
Korea, Kim Jong-il.
Last month, some elderly Koreans from North and
South crossed the heavily fortified and sealed
border to meet relatives they had not seen for up
to half a century. And, in recent days, South
Korea allowed 63 people convicted of spying for
or supporting Pyongyang to return home.
But critics in South Korea say President Kim is
giving away too much, too soon. They say he
should have driven a harder bargain with the
North. North Korea has long denied its holding
any South Koreans. When similar claims were made
by the Japanese, some years ago, North Koreans
walked out of talks aimed at establishing
diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Tokyo.
President Kim's statement on imprisoned South
Koreans may signal a tougher negotiating stance.
North Korea needs help for its famine-stricken
economy. The pressure may be increasing for it
make more concessions.
04-Sep-2000 07:59 AM LOC (04-Sep-2000 1159 UTC)
Source: Voice of America
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