S. Korea pushing for return of war prisoners from N. Korea By Kim Hyun

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is considering offering incentives for North Korea in exchange for the return of war prisoners and civilians held in the North, a government official said Tuesday.

More than 1,000 South Koreans -- soldiers captured during the 1950-53 Korean War
and fishermen abducted during the Cold War era -- are still detained in the
communist state, Seoul officials say. Pyongyang denies holding any of them
against their will.
Seoul has repeatedly proposed a cash deal with Pyongyang for their return, but it
has not been accepted.
In a 2009 policy briefing, the Unification Ministry plans to propose that Seoul
renew its efforts for their return, said ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun.
"The return of the abductees and war prisoners is our priority," Kim said.
Kim did not elaborate, however, on what incentives are under consideration.
A major daily, Chosun Ilbo, said South Korea will give cash and daily necessities
if the deal goes through. The envisioned exchange will be modeled on steps taken
by West Germany, which exchanged cash and goods for political prisoners held in
the former East Germany, the report said.
At least 560 former South Korean soldiers are still believed to be held in the
communist state. The North also abducted 494 civilians -- mostly fishermen
operating in the East and Yellow Seas -- from the late 1960s to the early 1970s,
officials say. Pyongyang insists they have voluntarily chosen to live in the
North.
The renewed overture from Seoul is not new, but it coincides with rumors that
North Korea has conveyed to South Korea that it is willing to return them for
cash.
Sources in Beijing told Yonhap News Agency last week that Pyongyang expressed its
intention through various unpublicized channels. The North also wants to resume
inter-Korean economic exchange projects that have been suspended amid chilled
ties this year, the sources had said on condition of anonymity.
Unification Minister Kim Ha-joong visited Beijing last week to meet with senior
Chinese officials well-versed in North Korea.
Kim said on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's leadership is "stable" and
that "everything is normal" in the North despite rumors about his health.
Seoul's Lee administration adopted a tougher stance than his liberal
predecessors, demanding North Korea abandon its nuclear program and improve its
human rights situation. Seoul did not provide food or fertilizer aid to Pyongyang
the past year.
North Korea cut off dialogue in retaliation
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)