Garden opens in Hangang Park to remember abductees being held in N. Korea

통일부, 납북자 기억하는 '세송이물망초의 정원' 공개

To raise awareness of South Korean abductees being held in the North, the Ministry of Unification has revealed a special garden to remember them.
Our North Korean affairs correspondent Kim Jung-sil takes us there.

This year's Seoul International Garden Show opened on Thursday , where visitors can enjoy beautiful flowers and greenery along the Hangang River.

On the corner of the extensive garden this year, there is a very special greenhouse dedicated to abductees who are being held in North Korea.


The 'Garden of three forget-me-not blossoms' was designed and created by artist Nanan Kang to remember those who still haven't come home.

"The Unification Ministry hopes opening up this glass greenhouse garden with these forget-me-not sculptures dedicated to South Korean abductees taken to the North will raise people’s awareness to remember them."


The Ministry of Unification acknowledges over 160,000 people were taken to the North and didn't make it home.
They were taken during and after the Korean War in the form of abductees, detainees, and prisoners of war who were not repatriated.
The three forget-me-nots each represent those groups.

"We organized this garden to publicize the issue of abductees in the country. Together with the families of the victims, we want to bring this issue to the attention of the South Korean people as well as the international community so that everyone can know about this and call for the immediate return of the abductees from North Korea."


The families of the abductees also gathered at the garden. They include Mr. Choi, whose father was working on a fishing boat when he was taken to the North in 1967.

"We are thankful that the government is taking great care in the issue of abductees and that many endeavors are being made to raise international awareness. We don't ask North Korea for much, we just want to know if our family members are still alive or not."


The garden with the forget-me-nots will be displayed until October as a reminder of those still separated, and to urge continued efforts for their safe return.
Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

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2024-05-17, 09:00 (KST)