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Rev. Kim Dong-sik Allegedly Died in 2001 in NK

Posted January. 06, 2005 22:25,   

한국어

On January 6, the Citizen’s Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Defectors asserted that Rev. Kim Dong-sik, who was abducted in January 2000 while assisting North Korean defectors in Yanji, China, is likely to have died in North Korea. Kim was kidnapped by North Korean agents who pretended to be defectors.

“Taking account of information from North Korean and Chinese sources, Rev. Kim died in February 2001, and his body was buried in the garrison area of training station 91 in Sangwonri near Pyongyang,” said Director-general of the Coalition Do Hee-yeon on January 6.

He added, “Rev. Kim was pressured to convert and cooperate in the process of questioning in North Korea, but he refused. He was tortured, and weighed only 35kg at the time of a miserable death due to claustrophobia, clinical depression, malnutrition, and rectal cancer.”

However, Koh Kyung-bin, director-general of the Bureau of Social and Cultural Exchanges at the Unification Ministry, rebuffed the claim, saying, “We have the testimony of an eyewitness who met Rev. Kim in July 2002.” He added, “There is no evidence to back up the claim. It is groundless information.”



taewon_ha@donga.com