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Date : January 27, 2015
No repatriation of prisoners of War due to the strengthened surveillance
   http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2015/01/10/0200000000AKR201501100 [1170]

According to the data released by National Security, from 2011 to last year, no Prisoners of War(POW) has been repatriated to South Korea.

Officials of National Security analyzed that Since the population of POWs is aging, and North Korean government's control over borders has tightened up, detainees cant come back to their home country. 

It appears that from 1994 to 2010, only 80 POWs have defected from north korea through third countries, and the number of their families approximates 430. Based on the statements of North Korean defectors and returned South Korean prisoners, The Ministry of National Defense estimates that approximately 560 South Korean POWs from the Korean War are detained in North Korea.  

After the inauguration of Kim Jong-eun regime, Surveillane of defectors has been stepped up a lot, and the authorities created 12 corps to improve the defense in North Korea-China borders.

South Korean Government constantly requires North to send POWs back to their home country as part of a humanitarian deal, but North Korea keep holding its position that there are no POWs in North Korea.

[Source: Yonhap News]


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