Japan: Yokota’s Husband Is South Korean

Some in Japan are alleging that Kim Cheol Jun, the husband of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese national who was abducted by a North Korean agent, is really Kim Young-nam (45), a South Korean who was abducted by the North in 1978.

Choi Seong-yong (54), a representative of the Association of Family Members of Those Abducted to North Korea said yesterday, “I have heard from a senior Japanese government official that Kim Young-nam is Yokota’s husband. The official asked for blood from Kim’s mother to analyze her DNA.”

Yokota was abducted in Niigata, Japan in 1977 at the age of 13. According to information North Korea revealed at the North Korea-Japan summit meeting in September 2002, Yokota’s North Korean name is Ryu Myeong-suk. She married Kim Cheol-jun in 1986, gave birth to her daughter, Kim Hye Kyung (17), and killed herself while being treated for depression in March 1993.

North Korea handed over Yokota’s ashes to Japan in 2004. But Japan maintained that the ashes were fake after genetic analysis tests and requested detailed information on her husband, Kim. But North Korea insisted that Kim belonged to a special organization and could not be subject to a photo shoot or gene analysis.

The Japanese government then attempted to collect and analyze blood and hair samples of the abducted’s family members through Choi. In the process, some media outlets reported that Lee Min-kyo, an abductee (47) who resembles Hye-kyeong, is highly likely to be Yokota’s husband.

However, the Japanese government said, “Kim’s mother has type O blood.”

The possible subjects have currently been narrowed down to Kim Young-nam (then age 16) and another abductee, Hong Geon-pyo (46). It is known that Kim Young-nam went to the Seonyudo beach resort with friends in August 1978, was abducted by a North Korean agent there, and is now working as an instructor for operatives who are being trained for missions in South Korea.

An analysis of the DNA of Kim’s mother is all that is left, but Choi decided not to provide the blood of Kim’s mother to Japan.