Korean (War) P.O.W. Escapes N. Korean to China--Being Held--May Be Deported BACK To N. Korea!!

Chosun Ilbo Daily, Seoul, Korea (in English) ^ | 24 December 2004 | Chosun Ilbo Daily (in English)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Title: Korean War POW Facing Repatriation to North Korea

by Yeo Si-dong (sdyeo@chosun.com)

Related Articles - South Korean POW Home After 50 years in the North - South's Consular Demands Meeting with POW Defector

BEIJING - A former South Korean Prisoner of War (P.O.W.) --from the Korean War, who tried to escape North Korea Monday with his wife by using fake passports has been arrested by the Chinese police and is being held at Tumen, a city bordering North Korea, a source from Beijing said Thursday.

The South Korean Embassy immediately began behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Chinese government, and has requested that Beijing confirm the whereabouts of the POW, Jeon Young-il, and his wife, and hold a meeting of consular officials. The S. Korean embassy is trying to prevent what it sees as a worst-case scenario in which the couple is repatriated to North Korea. (Poster's note: "Execution!")

The source said the couple was arrested by the Chinese police on Monday and was flown to Tumen on Wednesday. The source claimed that the couple was escorted to a city bordering North Korea as part of the procedures for repatriation.

“As of now, we are uncertain of Jeon’s whereabouts,” said a South Korean Embassy official in Beijing. “Even if they were taken to a city bordering North Korea, they would have been transferred according to the procedures of the local police agency, not according to the central government’s decision to repatriate them to North Korea.”

Embassy officials verified that negotiations with Beijing had started, and there is little chance that the couple will be taken back to Pyongyang.

Experts, however, predicted that since the couple violated Chinese law by holding fake passports, it would take time for the Chinese government to make a decision on their fate.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Wow! If thise POW from the Korean War, and his wife are turned back, somebody is going to have BLOOD on his/her hands! President Roh of S. Korea should take direct responsibility.

And how many Americans in their 70s and 80s up there still alive, too?!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Great news break! Just checked the Korean language press and found THIS photo,

from just a few hours ago, dated 24 December, and the tag line in Korean that THEY GOT OUT, away from CHINA and NORTH KOREA today! And made it safely to INCHON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT near Seoul, Korea late today! Great day. A real Merry Christmas story if I've ever seen one.

I hope our people can meet him and ascertain if he heard of, saw or knew about US Prisoners of War up in Pyongyang or elsewhere in the DPRK.

[KantianBurke]

He's still in danger no? North Korea can send agents down to off him? Haven't they done that before to others?

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Send?"

Heck, there are already HUNDREDS RIGHT THERE in South Korea!

[AmericanInTokyo]

OK, here you go.

[phasma proeliator]

is it just me or shouldn't this be a HUGE story...?

Korean war POW.... escapes...

will US media pick this up?

do they still have US POWs?

[AmericanInTokyo]

American media is very myopic. They take their cue and are empowered perhaps, by vast segments of a largely ignorant and unengaged American population, to whom for many, "Britain" and maybe "Mexico" or "Hawaii" represent the geographic extent of "international" in their minds. Sorry to be negative...that is just what and what does not, 'sell the papers.' It will be news when it is a former American G.I.

[justshutupandtakeit]

America RATmedia in no way takes its cue from the American People. It despises the real people but falls all over itself at the chance to deepen its ignorance. It "cue" comes from Paris, Stockholm, Beijing, New York City, San Francisco, Hollywood and other centers of America-haters.

[phasma proeliator]

I don't call that negative... more like realistic. the media is very frustrating at best.

To me this is a huge story.

Thanks for posting it. I'm getting the feeling that it won't get much attention on this site either. Maybe should ping the Vets to it.

Merry Christmas.

[Xphantasos]

It would be interesting to see if this guy has information on any other POWs that might still be in NK... I'm sure he's happy to get out.

And, yes, the media will pick this up as soon as 1) they can find a negative spin on it or 2) they can blame Bush for not getting this guy out sooner!

[phasma proeliator]

Blaming Bush...

Oh yeah...forgot about that... they need some time to figure out how this is the fault of every Republican president.

I get really frustrated with things like this. To me this should be an international incident -and running through the media like wildfire. I guess everyone is too busy with Mad Cow's and celebrity "gossip".

who cares about the men who fought for our country 50 years ago.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I agree with some of your observations. The American media by and large HATES America. But on the other hand, (and this only comes from having been outside of the US for long periods of time, and then returning for visits or stays and noticing the changes I would not have otherwise noticed were I here all the time) and that is the term "dumbed down." Ever heard of it? Think that phenomenon is true (when it comes to [many of] our fellow Americans' knowledge of world/Ameican history, civics, geography, languages, cultures?) Just wondering. I think American media feeds of the people to some extent and vice versa. I would say, there are vast segments of educated Americans, too, which try their darnest to raise the levels of both the media and our nation as a whole.

[Tallguy]

Was this man a ROK soldier? Where'd he get the wife? Was she 'captured' too? Or is she a NK-citizen, married after he 'defected'?

If she is, or if he 'defected' and holds an NK passport, then the South might not have a legal leg to stand on.

[Xphantasos]

Deep down you know the answer,as most of us do.. America has embraced a "culture" that is basically lazy, content with itself, celebrates Maidson Ave & Hollyweird, forgets its roots, history, wars and heroes. The media helps drive the sheeples down the road to disaster. The country has nodded off into a deep sleep that 9-11 only momentarily brought us back to our senses. I am not convinced that we have truly awakened from the coma...

Unless we snap out of this soon we will be singing praise to Allah and kissing Hilderbeast's spiderhole!

[Valin]

---

SGT PHILIP V. MANDRA MIA August 7, 1952 - Bronco Hill, Korea

TSGT JUNIOR JOSEPH NIXON MIA August 7, 1952 - Bronco Hill, Korea

1LT RICHARD L. McNULTY MIA January 16, 1952 - Yangdok, North Korea

The RB-29 Crew Shot Down on 13 JUN 52

A/ C MAJOR SAMUEL BUSCH Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
1LT JAMES A. SCULLEY, Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
2LT ROBERT J. Mc DONNELL Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
CAPT SAMUEL SERVICE Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
M/Sgt WILLIAM B. HOMER Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
5/Syt WILLIAM A. BLIZZARD Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
5/Syt NIGEL W. MONSERRAT Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
A/ic LEON BONURA Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
S/Sgt EDDIE BERG Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
Ai'2c DANNY PILLSBURY Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
A/ic ROSCOE C. BECKER Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52
TSGT DAVID L. MOORE Cold War,Sea of Japan 06/13/52

To name a few.
More info can be found at
Korean War MIAs
http://home.att.net/~KoreanWarMIAs/

[Valin]

America has embraced a "culture" that is basically lazy, content with itself, celebrates Maidson Ave & Hollyweird, forgets its roots, history, wars and heroes.

I wonder if this is true. Just because most people don't wear there heart on their sleeve doesn't mean they don't feel feel that we live in the best nation ever.
Example, earlier this year when "Gods and Generals came out we were talking about the civil war at work. I was telling the story of Hancock and Armistad and what happened to them at Gettysburg. They sat with rapt attention.
Another I finished reading the book "The March Up" (the Marines in Iraq) 5 people cane up and wanted to borrow it.

[DoctorMichael]

BUMP!

"....And how many Americans in their 70s and 80s up there still alive, too?!...."

This is the FIRST thing that came to my mind also.

[Xphantasos]

"Just because most people don't wear there heart on their sleeve doesn't mean they don't feel feel that we live in the best nation ever.

That's great news. And how many of them are willing to keep this as the "best nation ever"?

[Steel Wolf]

I hope our people can meet him and ascertain if he heard of, saw or knew about US Prisoners of War up in Pyongyang or elsewhere in the DPRK.

I'm glad they've made it to Seoul. They are very likely being debriefed, and that could last for some time. Two things that occur to me. First is that if this guy's a POW who's still alive from the Korean War, it is highly unlikely that he is the last one. As I recall there is at least one U.S. serviceman still in North Korea teaching English to their infiltrators, although he's chose to stay behind rather than be repatriated. If anyone would know if and where there are still more people being held, American, South Korean, or from another U.N. nation, he would know.

Second, if he managed to escape now that he's an old, old man, but was unable to when he was younger, then the DPRK's internal security must be in very bad shape. Even if he was released from a prison camp and send to be a laborer somewhere, he'd be in a 'reformed citizen' community that has much higher surveillance and security than most.

I don't even want to contemplate this man dropping a list of American sounding names during his debrief.

[phasma proeliator]

"I am not convinced that we have truly awakened from the coma..."

Neither am I...

"Unless we snap out of this soon we will be singing praise to Allah and kissing Hilderbeast's spiderhole!"

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