Kim Im-Bok M0000044

North Korean victims
Name (KOR)
김임복
Name (JPN)
キム・イムボク
Type of victim
  • Disappeared after repatriation
Nationality
North Korea
Sex
Female
Age when taken
29
Age group when taken
20s
Below 18 when taken
No
Type of occupation
  • Unknown
Date of birth
Nov 16, 1966
Year of birth
1960s: 1966
Country of birth
North Korea
Place of residence
31-ban, Boeun-dong, Yoosu-gun, Hoeryeong-si, North Hamgyong
Place of residence on map

Latitude: 40.1894889

Longitude: 126.7968744

Place of residence on map
Reason behind disappearance
  • Religious activities
Date when taken (additional note)
End of July 1994
Year when taken
1990s: 1994
Country where taken
China
Province where taken
Jilin
Region where taken
Yanbian
Region where taken on map

Latitude: 43.1065646

Longitude: 129.0852169

Region where taken on map
Place where taken
Yanbian Hospital
Type of place where taken
Hospital
Description of disappearance
The source is of the opinion that the hospital staff informed the authorities of her nationality.
Year last identified
1990s: 1994
Place last identified
No. 15 kwanliso in Yodeok, South Hamgyong, North Korea
Country last identified
North Korea
Information on detention
Yes
Place of first detention
MSS in Hoeryong-si, North Hamgyong, North Korea
Period of first detention
3 months (July-October 1994)
Additional information on first detention
On 2 August 1994, she was repatriated to Hoeryeong and interrogated by the National Security Agency for three months. In mid-August 1994, Kim Im Bok’s brother bribed the agent of the National Security Agency from North Hamkyung in charge of her interrogation for details of his sister’s arrest and detention. He was informed that Kim Im Bok was considered a political prisoner for accepting help from a Korean church in Yanbian and had received a long prison sentence as a consequence
Place of second detention
No. 15 kwanliso in Yodeok, South Hamgyong, North Korea
Period of second detention
October 1994-
Additional information on second detention
In October 1994, an NSA agent who received bribes from the victim’s family members delivered them a letter about her transfer. In or around November 1994, the agent informed her family that Kim Im Bok had been transferred to a political prison camp, presumably No. 15 kwanliso.
Combined geolocations

Latitude: 42.437975

Longitude: 129.755166

Region of first detention on mapRegion of second detention on map
Sentence
10 years
Additional description

The source reports that her family has enquired at prisons, including the Jeongeo-ri Prison in Hoeryeong, those in Hamheung and others in nearby cities to no avail, as her name does not appear on any of the prison registries.

In its reply to the Working Group's request, the Government has not provided any information about Ms. Kim's situation.

Related perpetrator(s)