Woo Yong Gak

Woo Yong Gak

Woo Yong Gak (1929? - ) is a North Korean former commando known to have been the longest-serving political prisoner in the world at the time of his release from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40817F934590C768EDDAB0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners South Korea Frees A 41-Year Captive, Reuters, 25 February 1999]

He served 40 years, 7 months and 13 days in prison. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0914F939590C7A8EDDAD0894D1494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fP%2fPolitical%20Prisoners "Seoul Journal; Out at Last, Prisoner 3514 Catches Up on 40 Years", 29 April 1999, by Nicholas D. Kristof (New York Times)] It has also been said that he "spent 41 years in solitary confinement". [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/02/25/world/main36530.shtml Seoul Frees Political Prisoners, 40 Prisoners Of Conscience Released Thursday - CBS News ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/286070.stm BBC News | Asia-Pacific | Solitary: Tough test of survival instinct ] ] He was returned to his country of origin in September 2000.

Capture

He was captured during a North Korean commando raid in South Korean waters in 1958 in which he participated as one of the raiders. [http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/03/14/kor.t_7.php "Kim's Decree Benefits Millions; Some Dissidents Are Left Out : South Korea Grants Sweeping Amnesty" by Don Kirk, International Herald Tribune, 14 March 1998]

Imprisonment

Purpose

Upon being convicted of the crime of conducting espionage for North Korea, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 Amnesty International, 1998 South Korea country report] South Korea claimed that he had been leading a group of spies. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 "North Korean ends 41 years in solitary", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999] Throughout his imprisonment he refused to sign an oath of obedience to South Korea's National Security Law, which bans the display or expression of any pro-North Korean sentiment. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/286070.stm February 1999 BBC Report]

Torture allegation

A report by Amnesty International records his claim to have been tortured in an underground facility after his arrest and forced to make a confession. [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA250151998?open&of=ENG-394 1998 Amnesty International South Korea country report]

Solitary confinement

South Korean law specifies solitary confinement for spies, even if they pose no physical threat. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/285875.stm Happy to see the light, BBC News, 25 February 1999] He was held in solitary confinement in a 12-by-12 foot cell since his capture aboard a North Korean boat off South Korea's east coast. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/02/25/world/main36530.shtml "Seoul Frees Political Prisoners", CBS News, 1999] The terms of his imprisonment permitted him half an hour of daily exercise with other prisoners. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/286070.stm February 1999 BBC Report] In 1998 he was said to be "missing all his teeth because of years of torture, poor food, and inadequate medical treatment". [http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980314/07350704.html Indianexpress.com report of 14 March 1998 from Seoul] In 1999, still prior to his release, he was reported to be suffering from a degree of muscular paralysis resulting from a stroke [http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/asa25.htm 1999 Amnesty International report for South Korea]

Release and repatriation

He was among 17 long-term political detainees released under a wider amnesty to mark President Kim Dae-jung's first year in office. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/285875.stm "Happy to see the light", BBC News, 25 February 1999] As a 70 year old man, he walked free from the gates of Daejeon prison. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/285875.stm February 1999 BBC News Report] It was proposed that he may be allowed to return to North Korea, where he had a wife and son, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990226/ai_n10487064 "North Korean ends 41 years in solitary", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 February 1999] in exchange for South Korean prisoners of war. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/285875.stm BBC News | Asia-Pacific | 'Happy to see the light' ] ] He was returned there, though not in exchange for any imprisoned South Koreans, in early September 2000. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/907307.stm "Korean Communists Go Home", BBC News Report, 2 September 2000] [http://www.fas.org/news/dprk/2000/dprk-000901b.htm 1 September 2000 correspondent report by Alisha Ryu, Federation of American scientists report for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea]

See also

Prisoners of conscience

References

External links

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/286070.stm] BBC News report of 25 February 1999, including face image


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