North Korean Abductions of South Koreans - The Law Concerning Abductees

The Law Concerning Abductees

Separately from talks with North Korea, the Seoul government enacted on April 2, 2007, the "Law for the Victims of Abduction to the North in the Postwar Years (or, the law concerning the assistance and compensation for the abducted persons since the Korean War Armistice Agreement)". Based on this law, the abducted persons, upon return to South Korea, will be entitled to receive assistance and the returning person himself or herself and their family members will be entitled to compensation for the human rights infringements sustained during the period. By this law, on October 16, 2007, the South Korean government formed the "Committee for the Compensation of the Victims of Abduction to the North."