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Seoul Confirms Six Citizens Detained in North Korea; Vows to Press for Dialogue

South Korea has confirmed that six of its citizens have been detained in North Korea, with arrests reported between 2013 and 2016. The group reportedly includes Christian missionaries and defectors; four have been publicly named by Pyongyang and accused of espionage, a charge that can carry the death penalty. President Lee's apparent unfamiliarity with the cases during a foreign press briefing drew strong domestic coverage. Seoul says it will press to resume inter-Korean dialogue to seek resolution.

08:19 PM, 12/04/2025Politics
Seoul Confirms Six Citizens Detained in North Korea; Vows to Press for Dialogue

Seoul Confirms Six Citizens Held in North Korea

South Korea's presidential office confirmed on Thursday that six South Korean nationals have been detained in North Korea for years. The announcement followed a foreign press briefing in which President Lee Jae-myung appeared unaware of the detainees' cases.

When asked about South Koreans reportedly held by the North, President Lee replied, "It's my first time ever hearing about this." His office later clarified that the six people — described as including Christian missionaries and North Korean defectors — were arrested "between 2013 and 2016 on charges of espionage, among others."

"In the current situation, where inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges have been suspended for an extended period, the suffering of our people caused by division continues," the presidential office said, adding that the government would try to resolve the matter by seeking a swift resumption of inter-Korean talks.

Pyongyang has publicly named four of the detainees and accused them of espionage, a crime that can carry severe penalties — including the death penalty — under North Korean law.

At the briefing, President Lee deferred to his national security adviser, Wi Sung-lac, who said there have been cases of South Koreans who could not return after entering the North and referred to "other unknown cases" but could not confirm the precise timing of arrests.

The episode drew prominent domestic coverage. The conservative Chosun Ilbo ran a headline calling the president "clueless," describing the exchange as "a symbolic scene that illustrates the status of the issue of South Korean detainees in North Korea."

Seoul's Unification Ministry, which manages relations with Pyongyang, said it last raised the detainee issue with the North in 2018. According to the ministry, Pyongyang replied that "relevant domestic institutions are thoroughly reviewing the issue" and has not commented further or taken action since that response.

Since taking office in June, President Lee has offered talks with Pyongyang without preconditions, marking a departure from his predecessor's more hawkish posture. Pyongyang has remained silent in response to Lee's overtures.

What Seoul Says It Will Do

The presidential office stated it will pursue the matter diplomatically, with an emphasis on resuming inter-Korean dialogue to secure information about and the possible release of detained citizens.

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