The government actively promoted the settlement of the issue concerning ROKA prisoners and civilians abducted to the North at the 1st Red Cross talks held in June 2000. Though “Unconverted Long-term Political Prisoners” have been repatriated to the North, the North Korean side avoided any discussion on the abductee issue at the Red Cross talks held later on.

At the 4th Red Cross talks held in September 2002, the two sides agreed to check and ascertain the survival and location of ROKA prisoners and civilians abducted to North Korea using the names of ‘those who have been missing since the war”. As a result, some separated family members were reunited after checks had been conducted to ascertain their survival and their location To date, the survival of 54 abductees to the North has been confirmed, and 19 survivors have been able to meet their family members in the South at reunion events held for separated families.

However, only four persons per reunion meeting could actually meet their family in the South using the settlement means ‘within the framework of separated family reunions’. The fundamental settlement of the issue of post-war abductees has been limited since North Korea continues to maintain its previous position that there are no South Korean abductees in North Korea.