N.Korea unresponsive to UN query on enforced disappearance cases

Seoul, Sep 10 (IANS) North Korea has remained unresponsive to requests from a UN working group for information on more than 300 enforced disappearance cases, a new report revealed on Saturday.The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has made the requests related to the 362 cases to the North between 1980 and May this year, but there has been no response from Pyongyang, according to its annual report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council.Enforced disappearance refers to a case of a person going missing after having been arrested, detained or abducted by a government or state-run organization, reports Yonhap News Agency."The Working Group again reiterates its serious concern regarding the continuing practice of forced returns of nationals of the Democratic Republic of Korea from third countries," the report read, using the North's official name.According to Seoul's Unification Ministry, almost 100,000 South Korean civilians were abducted by the North during the 1950-53 Korean War, while at least 3,835 South Koreans were taken after the war.
--IANS ksk/

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