South Korean POW Who Was Held in North Korea for 50 Years Speaks
2021-3-12, Boda [TRANSLATION]
[North Korean defector [former Korean People’s Army (KPA) soldier] Kim Jong-a (김정아) interviews Yu Yong-bok (유영복), a Republic of Korea (ROK) Prisoner of War (POW) held in North Korea, who later escaped to South Korea. The below is a partial transcript of Yu’s statements.]
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0:18 My Songbun [North Korea’s class system of discrimination] is POW, but I had nowhere to talk about it. It was such an extreme hardship. When my mother was evacuating Seoul [to Hwanghae Province, now in North Korea], what could she have taken? And she had to take care of my younger brother and sister. She had such a hard life, working on the farm field by herself. They survived just enough to get by. And I couldn’t even bring up my POW background. We [became] construction units in the North Korean Department of the Interior, but they [most people in North Korea] did not know [that they were ROK POWs.]
5:16 There were about 600 POWs there at Geomdeok (Kumdok, 검덕) Mine. About 400 [POWs] at Yongyang (영양) Mine. There were 9 construction units under the Department of the Interior. Each unit had 400-600 [POWs] [as many as 5,400 ROK POWs]. They all went to mines, such as Aoji (아오지) Mine, and elsewhere….They are organized into platoons and companies. There was no chance to individually ask where they were from…[due to constant surveillance]
6:38 Among my co-workers, if they complained a bit too much or didn’t do as ordered, they would disappear in the middle of the night, and no one knows their whereabouts…Once they were gone, they never came back…
7:15 I had to survive. I just agreed yes, yes, and did not talk too much. If you complain, then you don’t last. I waited for things to change, but they didn’t.
7:24 Only after I came here [South Korea], my son knows who I am [POW]. I was ashamed, so I didn’t say, and there really was no need to say it.
7:38 …Many of my colleagues, who have been treated unfairly in North Korea, relied on me. I worked hard and kept on thinking the day will come one day when I can go [to South Korea], the day will come one day…I ended up coming [to South Korea] first. The others [POWs] could not. I want to let the world know about the ROK POWs’ plight [in North Korea] and about the Korean War that I experienced.
8:02 I tried to create a Returning ROK Soldiers (귀환국군용사) organization, but the Ministry of National Defense did not want to authorize it. If they don’t want to authorize it, then it is as if to say there are no ROK POWs in North Korea. If a Returning ROK Soldiers organization exists, then the world would know that there are ROK POWs who are alive and are returning [to South Korea] and the Koreans in South Korea would also know more about ROK POWs. We kept on insisting, so we were finally able to create the POW soldiers organization (Returning ROK Soldiers).
8:38 I thought more POWs would [escape North Korea and] come to South Korea. Over 80 POWs came [to South Korea]. And [POW] families brought 7 [sets] of [POW] remains. Already, 62 of them have passed away. So there are only 11 of us left [in South Korea].
8:49 Even if they want to send us on a tour, barely 10 come together, and they are so tired that they don’t even want to go [due to old age].
8:56 When I first came here, I went all over the place and talked about this. It’s shameful, but I talked about my experience. I really tried to let the world know. 62 of 80 POWS in South Korea passed away. Would there be any POWs left in North Korea?…
9:22 I returned to complete my duty and to seek my honor. I’m thankful that my country recognized that I returned for my duty and honor. I didn’t even know that I received a Mugong Medal. It came out in 1954. I was considered Killed in Action (KIA), so it was not bestowed then.
9:47 [Flipping through a photo album] So here is my discharge ceremony [after he returned to South Korea]. I took my father [who remained in South Korea] there….It was in 2000. Here’s my Mugong Medal.
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Netizens’ comments:
- All surviving ROK prisoners must be returned to honor in South Korea. This is what the government should do.
- There could be more ROK POWs [in North Korea], so we must pay more attention.
- You devoted all your youth to the country; I won’t forget; Thank you; You really bared through hard times.
- We really need to publicize about POWs. It’s time for our country to step forward and bring all of them back unharmed. How can they neglect the people who sacrificed for the country? It really upsets me.
- Why did the Ministry of National Defense not want to acknowledge them?
- What’s 100,000 won ($89) a month? [POWs] should get at least 1 million won ($890) a month.
- In my 41 years, it’s the first time I heard that there are so many POWs…Sigh…
- …Thank you…We love you…And we won’t forget your sacrifice…
