North Korea returns South Korean hostage via Panmunjom

Panmunjom / Korea Times file

By Park Si-soo

North Korea returned a South Korean citizen who had been held there through the inter-Korean border town of Panmunjom on Tuesday in the latest peace overture toward its southern rival.

The repatriated person is a 34-year-old, whose surname is Suh, said Seoul's unification ministry. He entered North Korea late last month, the ministry said, citing a message from the North.

The person crossed into the South at 11 a.m., it added.

Further details were not available immediately.

According to Yonhap, the North's Red Cross informed the South on Monday of a plan to send the person back.

Ministry officials said the North's "humanitarian" measure which would have a "positive" impact on inter-Korean relations.

The ministry said six other South Koreans were still held captive in the North.

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