Woo Yong-gak
Born(1929-11-29)29 November 1929
Nyongbyon County, Japanese Korea
Died(2012-12-07)7 December 2012
NationalityNorth Korean
OccupationCommando

Woo Yong-gak (29 November 1929 – 7 December 2012)[1] was a North Korean commando who was released from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999.[2]

He served 40 years, 7 months and 13 days in prison as one of South Korea's unconverted long-term prisoners.[3] It has also been said that he "spent 41 years in solitary confinement".[4][5] He returned to North Korea in September 2000.

Capture

Woo was captured during a North Korean commando raid in South Korea's east coast waters in 1958 while he participated as one of the raiders.[6]

Imprisonment

Purpose

After his conviction of espionage for North Korea, Woo was sentenced to life imprisonment.[7] South Korea claimed that he had been leading a group of spies.[8] Throughout his imprisonment he refused to sign an oath of obedience to South Korea's National Security Law, which bans the display or expression of any pro-North Korean sentiment.[9]

Torture allegation

A report by Amnesty International records his claim of torture in an underground facility after his arrest and a forced confession.[10]

Solitary confinement

South Korean law specifies solitary confinement for spies, even if they pose no physical threat.[11] Woo was held in solitary confinement in a 12-by-12-foot cell since his capture aboard a North Korean boat.[12] The terms of his imprisonment permitted 30 minutes of daily exercise with other prisoners.[9] In 1998, he was said to be "missing all his teeth because of years of torture, poor food, and inadequate medical treatment".[13] In 1999, prior to his release, he was reported to be suffering from a degree of muscular paralysis resulting from a stroke.[14]

Release and repatriation

Woo was among 17 long-term detainees released under a wider amnesty to mark President Kim Dae-jung's first year in office.[15] As a 70-year-old man, he walked free from the gates of Daejeon prison.[16] It was proposed that he be allowed to return to North Korea, where he had a wife and son,[17] in exchange for South Korean prisoners of war.[18] He returned to North Korea, though not in exchange for any imprisoned South Koreans, in early September 2000,[19][20] and was immediately awarded the National Reunification Prize.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners to Be Repatriated to N. Korea on 2 Sep.", The People's Korea, Chongryon, no. 146, 25 August 2000, archived from the original on 26 February 2012, retrieved 27 June 2010
  2. ↑ https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40817F934590C768EDDAB0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners South Korea Frees A 41-Year Captive, Reuters, 25 February 1999
  3. ↑ https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0914F939590C7A8EDDAD0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners Seoul Journal; Out at Last, Prisoner 3514 Catches Up on 40 Years, 29 April 1999, by Nicholas D. Kristof (New York Times)
  4. ↑ "Seoul Frees Political Prisoners". CBS News. 25 February 1999.
  5. ↑ "Solitary: Tough test of survival instinct". BBC News. 25 February 1999.
  6. ↑ http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/03/14/kor.t_7.php Kim's Decree Benefits Millions; Some Dissidents Are Left Out : South Korea Grants Sweeping Amnesty by Don Kirk, International Herald Tribune, 14 March 1998
  7. ↑ http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 Archived 19 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine Amnesty International, 1998 South Korea country report
  8. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 North Korean ends 41 years in solitary, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999
  9. 1 2 "BBC News | Asia-Pacific | Solitary: Tough test of survival instinct". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  10. ↑ http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 Archived 19 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine 1998 Amnesty International South Korea country report
  11. ↑ "BBC News | Asia-Pacific | 'Happy to see the light'". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  12. ↑ https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/02/25/world/main36530.shtml Seoul Frees Political Prisoners, CBS News, 1999
  13. ↑ http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980314/07350704.html Indianexpress.com report of 14 March 1998 from Seoul
  14. ↑ https://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/asa25.htm Archived 14 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine 1999 Amnesty International report for South Korea
  15. ↑ "BBC News | Asia-Pacific | 'Happy to see the light'". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  16. ↑ "BBC News | Asia-Pacific | 'Happy to see the light'". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  17. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 North Korean ends 41 years in solitary, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999
  18. ↑ "Happy to see the light". BBC News. 25 February 1999.
  19. ↑ "BBC News | ASIA-PACIFIC | Korean communists go home". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  20. ↑ https://fas.org/news/dprk/2000/dprk-000901b.htm Archived 9 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine 1 September 2000 correspondent report by Alisha Ryu, Federation of American scientists report for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  21. ↑ "National reunification prizes awarded to unconverted long-term prisoners", Korean Central News Agency, 4 September 2000, archived from the original on 12 October 2014, retrieved 13 September 2012
  • BBC News report of 25 February 1999, including face image
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