U.N. group asks N. Korea to determine whereabouts of 34 missing persons

SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- A U.N. group has requested that North Korea release information on about 30 civilians presumed to have gone missing or been abducted mostly during the Korean War.

According to a report posted on its website, the U.N. Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) made the request in a letter sent to the North last November.

In the letter, it requested that North Korea provide information on a total of 34 "enforced disappearance" cases, including 27 people who were allegedly taken to the North against their will during the 1950-53 war.

It has not been confirmed whether the North has provided a response to the request.

Enforced disappearance refers to a person who has gone missing after having been arrested, detained or abducted by a government or state-run organization.

Launched in 1980, the U.N. group has assisted families in locating the whereabouts of their relatives who have disappeared. It delivers such allegations to relevant governments and demands they share the outcome of their investigations.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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