ABDUCTEES' FAMILIES SEEK CONTINUED ATTENTION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001741 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KN JA SUBJECT: ABDUCTEES' FAMILIES SEEK CONTINUED ATTENTION TO ABDUCTIONS TOKYO 00001741 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Representatives of the abductees' families passed a letter to Embassy Tokyo June 25 urging the G8 to take up the cause of abductions during the upcoming Foreign Ministerial and Summit meetings. The representatives also expressed "shock" and "disappointment" about the possible U.S. delisting of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. End Summary. ¶2. (C) As part of an outreach campaign to G8 embassies in advance of the June 26-27 Foreign Ministerial and July 7-9 Summit meetings, representatives of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKNK) met with Embassy Tokyo Political Officers to pass a letter urging the international community to continue to seek the resolution of the abductions issue (full text of letter in para 5). AFVKNK Chairman Shigeo Iizuka noted that although the group has been working on the abduction issue for a long time, there has not been much progress. With the approach of the G8 Foreign Ministers meeting and subsequent summit, the AFVKNK hopes that the G8 member and outreach countries will take up the abductions issue in their meetings. What North Korea did is the worst form of state crimes, and it is the duty of the international community to continue to pursue this issue, Iizuka said. ¶3. (C) Because the G8 summit is held once every eight years in Asia, it is important for the G8 on this occasion to take up an issue of importance within Asia, AFVKNK Secretary General Teruaki Masumoto said. Notably, one abduction victim is U.S. permanent resident Kim Dong-shik, whose wife and son are U.S. citizens, he added. ¶4. (C) Both Iizuka and Masumoto expressed disappointed with the reported impending notification of the U.S. intention to lift North Korea's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The members of the AFVKNK were "shocked" by this news, and the group hopes that the United States will not delist until there is more progress on abductions, Iizuka said. ¶5. (C) Text of letter from AFVKNK to the Ambassador: Dear Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer On the occasion of the G8 Summit in which top leaders of the world's greatest industrialized democracies including the United States are participants, we entreat you to include the issues of North Korea's abductions and human rights abuses on your agenda, thereby contributing to the speedy release of abductees and resolution of the humanitarian disaster in North Korea. Beginning in the late 1970's, numerous young Japanese going about their daily lives were abducted from their homeland by North Korean agents acting under that government's State Policy. Our loved ones have been detained there, some for 30 years, prevented from any contact with their families back in Japan. Kim Jong-il denied these criminal acts of abduction had ever taken place at every inquiry until September 17, 2002, when he abruptly admitted the abduction of 13 of the Japanese victims and allowed five to return to Japan. As our investigation proceeded, the existence of abduction victims of other nationalities was confirmed, including citizens of Thailand, Romania, Macau, and Lebanon, along with Japan and South Korea. Subsequently, it has become clear that nationals of France, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, Jordan, and a permanent resident of the United States are among the continuing victims of North Korean abduction. Inside Japan this issue remains a source of national outrage and is widely regarded as an unforgivable violation of national sovereignty and human rights. All Japanese are hoping for the earliest possible repatriation of the remaining victims. Clearly, this is not merely a bilateral issue between Japan and North Korea. It is an international issue that is also reflective of the human rights abuses of 20 million North Koreans by their own government. As the Japanese government seeks to strengthen international cooperation in order to TOKYO 00001741 002.2 OF 002 resolve the abduction issue, we sincerely hope that the United States will join this effort and pressure North Korea to release all abductees and resolve its human rights abuses immediately. Sincerely, Shigeo Iizuka Chairman AFVKNK June 25, 2008 End text of letter. SCHIEFFER