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Information on Witnesses Interviewed
Witness Profiles
1. Yun Dong Geun
(male) |
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Born Nov. 25, 1951 in DPRK
Left Korean People’s Army in 1975 and joined the Party
organization.
Was expelled from the Party organization and moved to government
dept. during the thorough investigation of the party executives
carried out when Hwang Jang-yop defected in Feb. 1997. Any
members who had been out of North Korea even once and those
whose hometown was in South Korea were removed from the Party.
In 1998, he escaped from North Korea with his family and reached
South Korea in Nov. 2001.
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2. Bee
Myong Ok (Wife of Yun Dong Geun, daughter
of Kim Un Kum) |
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Born Aug. 7, 1953 in Jilin, China
After leaving Korean People’s Army in 1976, worked as
director of a childcare center in Onsong for 15 years, then
as a childcarer for 5 years. Retired in 1997 due to a health
problem.
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Remark: |
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Bee Myong Ok’s mother, Kim Un Kum (73),
was arrested in the Yantai incident and repatriated on January
25, 2003, then died during the detention at Onsong.
Bee Myong Ok and her husband (Yun Dong Geun) stayed in China
from 1998 to 2001, and successfully reached South Korea, so
they persuaded her mother Kim Un Kum to come to South Korea
where her mother could enjoy the abundance of food.
On January 15 and 16, 2003 when Bee Myong Ok talked with her
mother on the phone, the mother repeatedly asked how soon
she could meet her daughter, her daughter’s husband
and the grandchildren. This was her last and only hope to
which she clung.
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3. Kim
Young Kwang (male) |
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Born February 24, 1983 in DPRK
In 1996, left junior high school midway through, and entered
Johnson School (orphanage) because of the hardships his family
was going through.
In mid-December 1998, escaped into China to flee from starvation.
Arrested in the Yantai incident and repatriated to Sinuiju
on Jan. 25, 2003.
May 5, 2003, escaped from Musan into China again.
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4. Yang
Yong Ho (male) |
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Born March 30, 1961 in DPRK
After graduating from a boy’s high school in Musan,
North Hangyon Province in 1972, worked at a mining site, construction
sites, etc. until 1990.
His wife and a niece died from starvation. Fled with his daughter
to China in December 2002.
Jan. 25, 2003, repatriated to Sinuiju.
June 12, 2003, escaped into China again with his daughter.
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5. Yang
Gum Soon (Daughter of
Yang Yong Ho) |
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Born December 2, 1987 in DPRK
When her mother died of starvation, escaped into China with
her father, Yang Yong Ho, in Dec. 2002.
Jan. 25, 2003, repatriated to Sinuiju.
June 12, 2003, escaped into China with her father again.
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6. Kim
Myong Chol (male) |
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Born January 28, 1965 in DPRK
June 2001, escaped into China.
Dec. 24, 2002, arrived in Yantai with the help of Yun Dong
Geun, the husband of Kim Un Kum’s daughter, Bee Myong
Ok.
Released Jan. 31, 2003.
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