Victims of other nationalities
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“Returnees” from Japan
In the early 1960s, the North Korean government and the pro-North Korean Chongryon (General Association Korean Residents in Japan) enticed the ethnic Koreans who faced racial discrimination and economic hardship in Japan to “return” to North Korea.
Despite its absence in numbers within FOOTPRINTS, there are 6,730 known Japanese national “returnees”*. Although they had traveled to North Korea voluntarily, by the mid-1960s the majority were effectively being retained there against their will and were no longer allowed to have any contact with family members they had left behind*.
*Kikuchi, Yoshiaki. (2009). Kita Chōsen kikoku jigyō: "sōdai na rachi" ka "tsuihō" ka (The North Korean Return Home Movement: A Grand Abduction or Exile?). Tōkyō : Chūō Kōron Shinsha
*UN Human Rights Council. (2014, February 7). Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, A/HRC/25/63.
Japanese abductees
Japanese nationals were commonly kidnapped to facilitate espionage and terrorist activities and to be “given” in marriage to foreigners in North Korea. The Japanese Government identified 17 Japanese nationals who have been abducted by North Korea, of which 5 have returned. It is probable that at least 100 Japanese nationals have been abducted by North Korea.
*UN Human Rights Council. (2014, February 7). Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, A/HRC/25/63.
Other foreign abductees
From 1977, foreigners of other countries – including China, Romania, France, Lebanon, and Thailand – were abducted by North Korea. The foreigners were mostly arrested to teach foreign languages in military training schools, share their technical expertise, and be “given” in marriage to foreigners in North Korea to prevent inter-racial marriage with ethnic Koreans.
*UN Human Rights Council. (2014, February 7). Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, A/HRC/25/63.