Taken! - US Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

to (in Korean) as a “hotel,” where they lived together and were indoctrinated in theteachings of Kim Il-sung. Here, SSD officers explained to the fishermen that theyhad been captured for the crime of espionage. They were interrogated every day forhours as the SSD tried to force confessions from them. 26Conditions for Korean abductees were different from those of non-Koreans.Since they spoke the same language and are considered to be of the “same race” byDPRK leadership, they were allowed to live among the general public after goingthrough intense education and training. Ethnic Korean victims are often able tomarry local women, move to different areas, become full-fledged DPRK citizens,and in some cases even become Workers Party members. Yet this difference inprivileges did not always mean that ethnic Koreans lived a better life than the non-Korean abductees. They may actually have faced harsher conditions because theywere treated like average North Korean citizens. And like other abductees, they wereconstantly watched by the State Security Department (SSD), the Ministry of PublicSecurity (MPS), and the Korean Workers Party (KWP). 2726The account of Lee Jhe-gun is taken from the author’s translation of his memoir, Kitachousen niRachi sareta Otoko (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2002).27Ibid.Ideological Supporters like Miss Yao and the Yodo-go HijackersWere Treated Very WellIdeological friends of North Korea were naturally treated with a certaindeference. Upon their arrival in North Korea, the Yodo-go Group hijackers weregiven a hero’s welcome. The hijackers were given homes in a place called “RevolutionTown.” “Revolution Town” was situated on a huge plot of land in Pyongyang, andincluded an office building, cafeteria, schools, homes, tennis courts, a soccer field, ashooting range, and conference facilities. 28For the first few days after Megumi Yao (the student advocate of Juche, not tobe confused with the violently abducted Megumi Yokota) arrived in Pyongyang inFebruary of 1977, she lived in a luxurious guest house, equipped with movie theaters,multiple bedrooms, and a private chef. All of these luxuries seemed fabulous to the22-year-old. 29Kim Il-sung visited “Revolution Town” on May 14, 1977. The visit wasnaturally a significant event for the residents. When he arrived, Megumi Yao wasgiven the chance to walk beside Kim Il-sung on a path through the woods, smilingand excited because she was finally able to meet the legendary leader. Yao heard Kimsay, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have bird houses high on these trees where thebirds could come?” She nodded, but did not realize how seriously the people of theDPRK took their leader’s instructions. A few dayslater, Yao noticed that bird houses had been placedhigh in the trees throughout the neighborhood.She was impressed by how seriously everyone tookhis every wish. 30Yao and the others were driven in aMercedes-Benz wherever they went. They liveda rich life, where all of their food was fresh andvarious meats were provided and cooked by chefs. Her residence had centralheating. She remembered being able to live there in the winter wearing nothingbut short-sleeved garments. This treatment increased her enthusiasm to work forthe revolutionary cause. The lavish accommodations were also evidence that theNorth Korean leadership considered its foreign ideological allies to be very importantpeople. In addition to superior housing, the regime gave the Yodo-go hijackers generousmonthly stipends. 3128Yao, Megumi. Shazai shimasu (Bungeishunjyu, 2002), 125-140.29Ibid., 56.30Yao, Megumi. Shazai Shimasu (Bungeishunjyu, 2002), 121.31Ibid., 125-134.Jenkins...wasquestioned for tento twelve days withoutbeing able to leave...44 45