Woo Yong-gak explained

Birth Date:1929 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Nyongbyon County, Japanese Korea
Nationality:North Korean
Occupation:Commando

Woo Yong-gak (29 November 1929 – 7 December 2012) was a North Korean commando who was released from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999.[1]

He served 40 years, 7 months and 13 days in prison as one of South Korea's unconverted long-term prisoners.[2] It has also been said that he "spent 41 years in solitary confinement".[3] [4] He returned to North Korea in September 2000.

Capture

Woo was captured during a North Korean commando raid in South Korea's east coast waters in 1958 while he participated as one of the raiders.[5]

Imprisonment

Purpose

After his conviction of espionage for North Korea, Woo was sentenced to life imprisonment.[6] South Korea claimed that he had been leading a group of spies.[7] Throughout his imprisonment he refused to sign an oath of obedience to South Korea's National Security Law, which bans the display or expression of any pro-North Korean sentiment.[8]

Torture allegation

A report by Amnesty International records his claim of torture in an underground facility after his arrest and a forced confession.[9]

Solitary confinement

South Korean law specifies solitary confinement for spies, even if they pose no physical threat.[10] Woo was held in solitary confinement in a 12-by-12-foot cell since his capture aboard a North Korean boat.[11] The terms of his imprisonment permitted 30 minutes of daily exercise with other prisoners.[8] In 1998, he was said to be "missing all his teeth because of years of torture, poor food, and inadequate medical treatment".[12] In 1999, prior to his release, he was reported to be suffering from a degree of muscular paralysis resulting from a stroke.[13]

Release and repatriation

Woo was among 17 long-term detainees released under a wider amnesty to mark President Kim Dae-jung's first year in office.[14] As a 70-year-old man, he walked free from the gates of Daejeon prison.[15] It was proposed that he be allowed to return to North Korea, where he had a wife and son,[16] in exchange for South Korean prisoners of war.[17] He returned to North Korea, though not in exchange for any imprisoned South Koreans, in early September 2000,[18] [19] and was immediately awarded the National Reunification Prize.

See also

References

  1. https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40817F934590C768EDDAB0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners South Korea Frees A 41-Year Captive, Reuters, 25 February 1999
  2. https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0914F939590C7A8EDDAD0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners Seoul Journal; Out at Last, Prisoner 3514 Catches Up on 40 Years, 29 April 1999, by Nicholas D. Kristof (New York Times)
  3. News: Seoul Frees Political Prisoners . CBS News . 25 February 1999.
  4. News: Solitary: Tough test of survival instinct . BBC News . 25 February 1999.
  5. http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/03/14/kor.t_7.php Kim's Decree Benefits Millions; Some Dissidents Are Left Out : South Korea Grants Sweeping Amnesty by Don Kirk, International Herald Tribune, 14 March 1998
  6. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 Amnesty International, 1998 South Korea country report
  7. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 North Korean ends 41 years in solitary, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999
  8. Web site: BBC News Asia-Pacific Solitary: Tough test of survival instinct . 2022-07-29 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  9. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 1998 Amnesty International South Korea country report
  10. Web site: BBC News Asia-Pacific 'Happy to see the light' . 2022-07-29 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  11. https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/02/25/world/main36530.shtml Seoul Frees Political Prisoners, CBS News, 1999
  12. http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980314/07350704.html Indianexpress.com report of 14 March 1998 from Seoul
  13. https://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/asa25.htm 1999 Amnesty International report for South Korea
  14. Web site: BBC News Asia-Pacific 'Happy to see the light' . 2022-07-29 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  15. Web site: BBC News Asia-Pacific 'Happy to see the light' . 2022-07-29 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  16. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 North Korean ends 41 years in solitary, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999
  17. News: Happy to see the light . BBC News . 25 February 1999.
  18. Web site: BBC News ASIA-PACIFIC Korean communists go home . 2022-07-29 . news.bbc.co.uk.
  19. https://fas.org/news/dprk/2000/dprk-000901b.htm 1 September 2000 correspondent report by Alisha Ryu, Federation of American scientists report for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

External links

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