DPRK Red Cross Society Sends Letter to S. Korean Red Cross

  Pyongyang, August 22 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society sent the following letter to the south Korean Red Cross Monday:
    As your side knows, our side demanded the south side authorities several times unconditionally send back the abducted citizens of the DPRK and allow their families to go to Seoul to meet their daughters face-to-face as ardently requested by them, and south side organizations of various circles, UN bodies and international human rights organizations are also strongly demanding lawyers' interview with the abductees and meeting with their families.
    However, the south side authorities have unreasonably kept our citizens in custody for over four months since they allured and abducted them. Not content with their operation for forcing them to "defect," floating the story about "voluntary defection from the north" in a bid to mislead the public opinion, the south side authorities announced recently that they "settled in society."
    This cannot be construed otherwise than a mean plot to escape the domestic and foreign public criticism of forcible detention of our citizens and pressure of the public demanding their unconditional repatriation and cover up the truth behind the thrice-cursed group abduction by the south side Intelligence Service.
    The south side authorities prevent the abductees from being opened to public and keep them from contacting media under the pretext of "personal safety" though they claim that the "north's employees have become free persons." This clearly proves that their claim is a sheer lie.
    What is touching off bitter anger is that the south side Red Cross, which professes the "settlement of the issue of divided families" and humanitarian cooperation between the north and the south, is conniving at the authorities' anti-humanitarian act of forcing our citizens to live separated from their beloved parents and families.
    Our side lodges a strong protest with your side as your act of keeping mum and overlooking the authorities' anti-humanitarian and unethical acts is, in face, little short of patronizing them.
    It is not a proper attitude and stand of the Red Cross body guided by noble humanitarianism to overlook the present tragic situation where new divided families and relatives appear in peace time.
    Your side would be well aware that in case the south side authorities refuse to send back our citizens now in custody, there would be no discussion on any humanitarian issue between the north and the south and this will entail irretrievable consequences.
    If your side is truly concerned about the settlement of humanitarian issues between the north and the south, your side has to make responsible and sincere efforts to send our citizens back to the fold of the DPRK where their families are eagerly waiting for them, though belatedly.
    Our side will closely watch your side's future attitude. -0-