United Nations, Unification Ministry calls for the release of 3 South Korean missionaries detained in North Korea

Kim In-ae, vice spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, speaks during a press briefing at the government complex in central Seoul on March 14. [NEWS1] The Ministry of Unification on Friday called for the immediate and unconditional release of three South Korean missionaries held in North Korea, following the United Nations' adoption of a report demanding their release. The ministry issued the call a day after the U.N. Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted opinions calling for North Korea to release the three South Korean Christian missionaries. The three — Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie and Choi Chun-gil — have been detained in North Korea since their arrest between 2013-14 on charges of spying for South Korea's intelligence agency. In the opinions adopted on Thursday, the U.N. working group concluded that the arrest and detention of the three constitute an illegal and arbitrary deprivation of their freedom, calling for their immediate release as well as reparations and an independent investigation into their cases. “The opinions adopted by the U.N. working group officially confirmed that the detention of these individuals was illegal and clearly violates international law,” according to the statement issued in the name of the unification ministry spokesperson, Koo Byoung-sam. “The government once again strongly denounces North Korea's illegal act and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of our nationals,” it said. The statement also urged North Korea to seriously heed the warning issued by the U.N. adoption of such opinions, calling for its immediate compliance. The government will do its utmost in cooperation with other countries, the international community and religious circles for the immediate resolution of the issue, it added. Yonhap

United Nations, Unification Ministry calls for the release of 3 South Korean missionaries detained in North Korea Published: 14 Mar. 2025, 13:08 Kim In-ae, vice spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, speaks during a press briefing at the government complex in central Seoul on March 14. [NEWS1] The Ministry of Unification on Friday called for the immediate and unconditional release of three South Korean missionaries held in North Korea , following the United Nations' adoption of a report demanding their release.

The ministry issued the call a day after the U.N. Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted opinions calling for North Korea to release the three South Korean Christian missionaries.

The three — Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie and Choi Chun-gil — have been detained in North Korea since their arrest between 2013-14 on charges of spying for South Korea's intelligence agency. In the opinions adopted on Thursday, the U.N.

working group concluded that the arrest and detention of the three constitute an illegal and arbitrary deprivation of their freedom, calling for their immediate release as well as reparations and an independent investigation into their cases. “The opinions adopted by the U.N.

working group officially confirmed that the detention of these individuals was illegal and clearly violates international law,” according to the statement issued in the name of the unification ministry spokesperson, Koo Byoung-sam. “The government once again strongly denounces North Korea's illegal act and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of our nationals,” it said. The statement also urged North Korea to seriously heed the warning issued by the U.

N. adoption of such opinions, calling for its immediate compliance. The government will do its utmost in cooperation with other countries, the international community and religious circles for the immediate resolution of the issue, it added.

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