Germany Provides a Model for Freeing POWs
In order to secure the safe return of South Korean prisoners of war
and citizens abducted by North Korea, South Korea's Unification
Ministry reportedly told the presidential Transition Committee it
could consider using West Germany's method of winning the release of
political prisoners from East Germany through economic rewards. There
are around 560 South Korean prisoners of war in North Korea,
according to accounts provided by POWs who escaped from the communist
country. Around 480 South Koreans civilians have been abducted by
North Koreans since the armistice.
The Transition Committee has said it considers the POW issue a top
priority which requires the utmost efforts to resolve. But North
Korea refuses to acknowledge that these people even exist. Just ahead
of the launch of the Lee Myung-bak administration, it has become
clear that securing the return of the POWs and abductees is the
nation's top priority. The question is, how will we do it?
The West German government began holding secret talks with East
Germany in 1963 and exchanged money or goods in return for the
release of political prisoners from the communist East. Around 34,000
East German political prisoners were brought to West Germany through
this method until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. As a reward for
their release, West Germany paid East Germany 3.44 billion marks
(around W1.7 trillion, US$1=W937) over a 26-year period. At first the
payments were cash, but later they became crude oil, copper and other
goods. The reward for each released prisoner was around 40,000 marks
(around W20 million), but it rose to 100,000 marks (about W50
million) in the 1980s.
The price would be much higher when adjusted to today's rates. There
was criticism that the money and goods the West gave the East ended
up contributing to the continuation of the East German regime, which
in turn prolonged the suffering of its people. We will face the same
controversy should we take this approach.
But North Korea has held South Korean POWs and abductees captive for
almost 60 years. Even Josef Stalin did not treat German POWs so
harshly. South Korean POWs and abductees held in North Korea are now
in their final years of life. They are running out of time.
The West German government never publicized its deals. Civilian and
religious groups did the actual work. That was done in order to keep
the pressure off the East German government. Closed-door negotiations
will be necessary in order to get North Korean officials, who are
ultra-sensitive about this issue, to talk. But South Koreans, who
have heard the prayers of the families of the POWs and abductees,
will be more than able to accept this approach.