Seoul raises count of civilians abducted by N. Korea to 500

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul government raised its count of civilians abducted by North Korea to 500 on Friday, accepting claims by the families that crewmen of a fishing boat that disappeared decades ago were kidnapped by the North.

The six crew members of the Nampung-ho went missing after their boat departed
from a northeastern port in the East Sea on Dec. 21, 1967. They were assumed to
have drowned after their boat collided with a North Korean vessel, but their
families claimed some of them were hauled away by the North.
The Unification Ministry said its committee handling compensation for abductees
decided to accept the families' claim, raising the number of abducted civilians
to 500 from 494. Compensation worth about 30 million (US$21,747) will be provided
for each family, it said.
Based on family accounts, South Korea has made a list of people who went missing
in the 1960s and the 70s -- mostly fishermen operating in the East and Yellow
Seas -- and called on the North to return them.
Seoul also believes at least 560 former South Korean soldiers taken prisoner
during the 1950-53 Korean War are still living in the communist North.
Pyongyang denies holding any South Koreans against their will.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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