The PoW who wants to return to the North to die

95-year-old Korean POW wants to return to North to die

Mr. Jeon, who is now 95 years old and lives in South Korea, desires to travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DRPK), colloquially known as North Korea, to spend the remainder of his days there. He is one of the many civilians who were forcibly taken by the North during the Korean War and has spent the majority of his adult life in the South after escaping. Mr. Jeon's desire to return to the North underscores the complex and emotionally fraught nature of Korean reunification, which continues to this day.

Background on the Korean War

The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953 and involved conflict between the North (backed by the Soviet Union and China) and the South (backed by the United States and other allies). It concluded in an armistice, which established the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas but did not lead to a peace treaty. The conflict resulted in millions of casualties and the separation of families and communities across the Korean peninsula.

Forced Abductions and Prisoners of War

During the war, civilians on both sides were forcibly taken or went missing. In the ensuing decades, some individuals have chosen to return or were located in the other country.

Mr. Jeon was a young man working in Seoul when North Korean forces entered the city in 1950. He was captured and eventually moved to a prison camp in the North. In early 1951, he escaped with a group of other prisoners and made his way south. He has not returned to the North since, but has kept in touch with friends and family who remained there.

The Significance of His Story

Mr. Jeon's case is a poignant and highly personalized illustration of the enduring and painful divisions between the two Koreas. His longing to return to the North, despite having lived the majority of his life in the South, highlights the continued importance of reconciliation and the emotional impact of the war's legacy on individual lives.