Unconverted long-term prisoners

"Unconverted long-term prisoners" is the North Korean term for northern loyalists imprisoned in South Korea who never renounced Juche. The North Korean government considers them to be "pro-reunification patriotic fighters", while South Korean scholars have described them as "pro-communist spies".

History

In March 1998, South Korean president Kim Dae-jung declared an amnesty for long-term prisoners over the age of 70, as well as some suffering from disease. In February 1999, President Kim declared another amnesty for 17 unconverted long-term prisoners. In 2000, as part of the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration, 63 of the prisoners were permitted to settle in North Korea. There were hopes that North Korea would reciprocate by releasing Southern prisoners of war still detained in the North. A number of them left behind family members in the South; the South's Ministry of Unification refused permission to let the family members go north with them. They crossed the border by bus through the truce village of Panmunjom at 10 AM on 2 September 2000, while a group of Southern protesters decried their return and demanded that the North return abducted Southerners; they were welcomed on the Northern side by a reception with a brass band playing revolutionary songs, and each was later awarded the National Reunification Prize.

In literature and film

A book about their experiences was published in North Korea in 2001. In 2003, South Korean director Kim Dong-won released Repatriation, a documentary about the unconverted prisoners, based on more than 12 years and 800 hours of filming.

List of prisoners who crossed over to North Korea in 2000

Following is a list of the 63 prisoners who went to North Korea in 2000.
Personal names are given in McCune–Reischauer romanisation of the Northern spelling ; place names are given in McCune–Reischauer without diacritics for places now in North Korea, and Revised Romanisation for places now in South Korea.

Name	Hangul	Hanja	Birth/death dates	Place of birth	Province of birth	Years in prison	Notes
Kang Tong-gŭn	강동근			Hadong	Gyeongsangnam-do	37	Obituary published by KCNA
Kim Tong-gi	김동기	金東基 or 金東起		Tanchon	South Hamgyong	34	Interviewed by Kyunghyang Shinmun before his repatriation. Published a book of essays about his experiences. Two different hanja versions of his name have been reported in the media. Birthdate given as in 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. In August 2005, the KCNA reported in that he gave a speech to a visiting group of students from the Chongryon-affiliated Korea University.
Kim Myŏng-su	김명수			Hamhung	South Hamgyong	37	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Kim Sŏk-hyŏng	김석형			Pakchon	North Pyongan	30	Also spelled Kim Suk-hyung. One of the prisoners featured in the film Repatriation. Obituary published by KCNA.
Kim Sŏn-myŏng	김선명			Yangpyeong	Gyeonggi-do	45	Also spelled Kim Sun-myung. Joined the Korean People's Army due to disgust over the prevalence of Japanese collaborators in the South Korean administration. Captured on 15 October 1951, and sentenced to death; sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Family refused to see him; had him declared legally dead in 1975. Released in 1995. Blind due to cataracts left untreated by prison doctors. His experiences were the basis for the 2002 film The Road Taken, starring Kim Jung-gi.
Kim Yŏng-dal	김영달			Yeongdeok	Gyeongsangbuk-do	30	70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Kim Yŏng-man	김영만			Gurye	Jeollanam-do	30	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in September 2008.
Kim Yŏng-tae	김영태			Kwaksan	North Pyongan	35	Also spelled Kim Yong-thae. Trapped in South Korea after the Korean War, and fought as a guerilla in the Jirisan area. Obituary published by KCNA.
Kim Yŏng-gyu	김용규			Boseong	Jeollanam-do	34	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Kim Yong-su	김용수			Gyeongju	Gyeongsangbuk-do	27	KCNA gives his year of birth as 1932 in an announcement of his 70th birthday. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in June 2003.
Kim U-taek	김우택			Andong	Gyeongsangbuk-do	40	90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Kim Ŭn-hwan	김은환			Gwangju	Gyeonggi-do	31	Also spelled Kim Eun-hwan. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Joined the Korean Painters' Union after moving to the North. 90th birthday congratulations published by Rodong Sinmun.
Kim Ik-jin	김익진			Yeongdeok	Gyeongsangbuk-do	31	Also known as Kim Il-jin. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Obituary published by KCNA.
Kim In-su	김인수			Tokchon	South Pyongan	34	In June 2001, KCNA reported that he gave a speech to a delegation of visiting students from Korea University of Japan.
Kim In-sŏ	김인서			Daegu	Gyeongsangbuk-do	36	Applied to resettle in the North in 1996, but was rejected. Obituary published by KCNA.
Kim Chong-ho	김종호			Gimcheon	Gyeongsangbuk-do	31	Obituary published by KCNA
Kim Chung-jong	김중종			Gimcheon	Gyeongsangbuk-do	29	Received a doctorate in linguistics in 2003. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Kim Chang-wŏn	김창원	金昌源		Yeongdeungpo-gu	Seoul	31	70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in April 2006. Interviewed by The Pyongyang Times in September 2008.
Ko Kwang-in	고광인	高光仁		Gochang	Jeollabuk-do	34	An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in May 2003. KCNA published 70th birthday congratulations in February 2005, but did not give a birthdate.
Ryu Un-hyŏng	류운형			Riwon	South Hamgyong	34	Prior to his arrest, held various political posts including head of the Youth Department of the Chorwon, Kangwon, Committee of the WPK and chief of the education section of the Information Department of the Kangwon Provincial Committee of the WPK. Obituary published by KCNA.
Ryu Yŏn-chŏl	류연철			Andong	Gyeongsangbuk-do	27	KCNA gives his date of birth as in his 90th birthday announcement
Ryu Han-uk	류한욱			Cholsan	North Pyongan	37	KCNA gives his year of birth as 1917 in his 90th birthday announcement
Ri Kyŏng-gu	리경구			Gongju	Chungcheongnam-do	38	An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in June 2006. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Ri Kyŏng-chan	리경찬	李京贊			Kaesong	35	Joined the Korean Painters' Union after his return to the North. 70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. Essays of his were printed in the Rodong Sinmun in February 2005 and December 2006.
Ri Kong-sun	리공순			Seosan	Chungcheongnam-do	33	70th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in November 2006.
Ri Tu-gyun	리두균	李斗均		Chungju	Chungcheongbuk-do	31	An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in October 2004. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Ri Se-gyun	리세균			Jeonju	Jeollabuk-do	30	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Ri Chae-ryong	리재룡			Yangyang	Gangwon-do	30	First daughter Ri Chuk-bok born, according to KCNA
Ri Jong	리종			Yeongdong	Chungcheongbuk-do	25	Birth date stated as in 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in October 2006.
Ri Jong-hwan	리종환				Incheon	43	Obituary published by KCNA
Pak Mun-jae	박문재				Kaesong	28	Imprisoned in Daejeon; released in 1993. Still alive as of 2004, according to KCNA.
Pak Wan-gyu	박완규			Cheongwon	Chungcheongbuk-do	33	An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in December 2006.
Pang Chae-sun	방재순			Hoengseong	Gangwon-do	38	An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in November 2006. 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Sŏk Yong-hwa	석용화			Yangsan	Gyeongsangnam-do	20	Married to Lee Chun-ja of South Korea; two daughters. Left them behind to cross over to North Korea. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Son Sŏng-mo	손성모	孫聖模		Buan	Jeollabuk-do	19	Released in June 2000. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in July 2006. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Song Sang-jun	송상준				Busan	36	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Sin Kwang-su	신광수	辛光洙		Yangsan	Gyeongsangnam-do	15	Also spelled Shin Gwang-su. Born in Shizuoka, Japan according to some reports. Released in June 2000. Wanted in Japan for his alleged role in North Korean abductions of Japanese.
Sin Rin-su	신린수			Cheongdo	Gyeongsangbuk-do	30	Worked in a coal mine in his youth. 90th birthday congratulations published in The Pyongyang Times.
Sin In-yŏng	신인영			Buan	Jeollabuk-do	32	Also spelled Shin In-young. Served in the Korean People's Army during the Korean War; returned to the South as a spy and was arrested in 1967. Believed to have a wife, son, and two daughters in the North; his mother, Koh Bong-hee, continued to reside in the South. Imprisoned in Daejeon. Released in the March 1998 amnesty. Suffering from leukaemia. At the time of his release, he stated, "now I want to take care of my mother for the rest of her life". However, he bid farewell to her in 2000 and crossed over to North Korea with 62 other long-term prisoners, in a scene captured in Kim Dong-won's 2000 movie Repatriation. She died in 2002.
An Yong-gi	안영기			Gumi	Gyeongsangbuk-do	38	Also spelled Ahn Young-gi. Prior to his arrest, designed the Okryu Restaurant in Pyongyang. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Joined the Korean Painters' Union after his return to the North.
Yang Chŏng-ho	양정호			Yangsan	Gyeongsangnam-do	31	Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Joined the Korean Painters' Union after moving to the North. An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in August 2004.
O Hyŏng-sik	오형식			Siheung	Gyeonggi-do	31	An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in June 2006. Obituary published by KCNA.
U Ryong-gak	우용각	禹龍覺		Nyongbyon	North Pyongan	42	Also spelled Woo Yong-gak. Was captured in a North Korean commando raid in Southern waters in 1959. At the time of his release under Kim Dae-jung's amnesty in 1999, was believed to be the world's longest-serving political prisoner.
Yun Yong-gi	윤용기			Ganghwa	Gyeonggi-do	40	Obituary published by KCNA
Yun Hŭi-bo	윤희보			Gwangju	Gyeonggi-do	25	90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Im Pyŏng-ho	임병호			Boryeong	Chungcheongnam-do	32	An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in December 2006.
Chang Pyŏng-rak	장병락			Kowon	South Hamgyong	38	Also spelled Jang Byong-lak. Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Obituary published by KCNA.
Jang Ho	장호			Mapo-gu	Seoul	32	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. Gave a lecture to a visiting group of students from Korea University of Japan in October 2003. An essay of his entitled "Society and Morality" was published in the Rodong Sinmun in October 2005. 100th birthday congratulations published by Rodong Sinmun _, Pyongyang Times and KCNA, received a birthday spread from Kim Jong-un.
Chŏn Chin	전진			Gunsan	Jeollabuk-do	38	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Chŏn Ch'ang-gi	전창기			Buyeo	Chungcheongnam-do	23	Also spelled Jon Chang-gi. 90th birthday congratulations published in The Pyongyang Times.
Cho Ch'ang-son	조창손			Ryongyon	South Hwanghae	30	In poor health. Has a wife and two sons in the North.
Ch'oi Sŏn-muk	최선묵			Ganghwa	Gyeonggi-do	38	Released in the February 1999 amnesty. Joined the Korean Painters' Union after moving to the North. An essay of his was published in the Rodong Sinmun in March 2005.
Ch'oi Su-il	최수일			Uiju	North Pyongan	35
Ch'oi Ha-jong	최하종			Kimchaek	North Hamgyong	36	Joined the Korean Painters' Union after his return to the North. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Han Paek-ryŏl	한백렬			Gwangju	Gyeonggi-do	23	Obituary published by KCNA
Han Chang-ho	한장호			Myongchon	North Hamgyong	39	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Han Chong-ho	한종호			Hamhung	South Hamgyong	13	Left behind a son, Han Young-su. His wife did not attend his farewell. 90th birthday congratulations published by KCNA.
Han Chun-ik	한춘익			Hamhung	South Hamgyong	29	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Ham Se-hwan	함세환			Ongjin	South Hwanghae	34	Applied for repatriation in 1993 and again in 1996, but was denied both times. The KCNA reports that a daughter was born to him on. In December 2006, an essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun.
Hong Kyŏng-sŏn	홍경선			Cheonan	Chungcheongnam-do	33	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in December 2005.
Hong Myŏng-gi	홍명기			Buyeo	Chungcheongnam-do	38	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Hong Mun-gŏ	홍문거				Pyongyang	37	80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA
Hwang Yong-gap	황용갑			Hadong	Gyeongsangnam-do	35	Released in 1989. Married a woman surnamed Kim, but did not tell her about his past as a communist agent; she only learned of it in late 1999. 80th birthday congratulations published by KCNA. An essay of his was printed in the Rodong Sinmun in 2006.