Prisoners of Conscience - South Korea

March 1999
South Korea has finally released some of the former North Korean soldiers who have been languishing in its jails for decades. A frail and pale 71 year old, Woo Yong-Gak is believed to have be the world's longest serving political prisoner.

Another lifetime ago in 1958 Woo was a North Korean officer unlucky enough to get caught. He was locked away as an enemy of the state. Hundreds of other young communists were taken alongside him. Archive footage shows the young men lined-up in loin clothes, heads shaven, being doused with flea powder on their way to brutal jails. "Any conversation is forbidden. We couldn't even touch each other it was complete isolation and loneliness." 41 years of solitary confinement later Woo and 16 other elderly prisoners were released. Ahn Young Ki was also imprisoned for 38 years. A baby in the modern world, he fumbles with his seat belt: "I now have to learn to live again." Yet despite their treatment behind bars, the prisoners spirits have not been broken. They both refuse to report to the police; an act of defiance that could easily get them re-arrested thanks to the draconian National Security Law. The reforming South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung was himself a prisoner and is promising to change the law. Yet he has so far been unable to force the nations deeply conservative lawmakers into action. And while the NSL lives on political activists keep filling the cells vacated by Woo and his kind.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

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• soldiers
• prisoners
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• war
• political
• torture
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[Shayneeboots]

how bout some subtitles?

[Insanekid95]

You should be feeling sorry for them. They're victims of Kim Jong-il, not supporters

[Pokadof]

@iNoReactionzX before you diss people why don't you spell Korean right. Stop being so ignorant and learn something for once

[pretzelzetzel]

please use the following subtitles:

(person outside the prison) "this is totally against democracy! free those men!"

(prisoner) "this f&*%ing sucks."

(politician) "yes, this is an unfortunate circumstance, but if you look at my opponents voting record, you'll find that he was in support of policies that would have increased the average taxpayer's percentage of the national debt by over 3%; furthermore, he is a known opponent of a woman's right to choose."

[agraham2]

What is he saying? Why are there no subtitles? Pointless.

[Frequent2001]

these journeyman pictures docus always have missing subtitles its fucking annoying

[Keither9]

thank you for standing up for your rights and the rights of others, someday peace on earth will be, for all and security will not come at the end of a gun, or through some tricky little gadget, its about acceptance of your companions and friend unconditional and being willing too admit the reality we make for ourselves is not the same reality someone else is experiencing even if that is BINT by our own desire or cunning of others?

[Keither9]

I heard they stopped the serch for the South Korean Salor's, who wold take them?

[Keither9]

I heard they stopped the serch for the South Korean Salor's, who wold take them?

[natenate88]

@somjana they are obviously really stupid and ignorant and that is bs..