Seoul expects North Korea to release its citizens as well

An airplane, carrying three recently freed American detainees along with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, arrives in Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Choi Ha-young

After North Korea freed three American detainees, Wednesday, South Korea expects the North to do the same quickly for six South Koreans being detained in the North.

Cheong Wa Dae said it will do its best for the release of the six detainees.

Presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan lauded Pyongyang's decision to repatriate the three Americans. "The decision would help the summit between Washington and Pyongyang," Yoon said in a statement released late Wednesday.

Trump welcomes back Americans freed by North Korea 2018-05-10 16:08  |  North Korea
"It's particularly meaningful that the three Americans are ethnic Koreans."

Yoon noted President Moon Jae-in demanded the repatriation of six South Koreans during the April 27 inter-Korean summit. In a press briefing Wednesday morning, unification ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said the government has made efforts to resolve humanitarian issues, as stipulated in the Panmunjeom Declaration signed April 27.

Currently, three South Korean pastors ― Kim Kuk-gi, Choe Chun-gil and Kim Jeong-wook ― are detained in Pyongyang. The first two were revealed by the North Korean broadcaster in May 2015, when they "confessed" to spy activities against the North. Since the two were given life sentences for hard labor, no updates have been reported.

Another three South Koreans detained in the North are North Korean defectors who gained South Korean citizenship after their defection. Among the them, only Ko Hyon-chol and Kim Won-ho have been identified.

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