3,790 S.Koreans abducted by NK since 1953

A total of 3,790 South Koreans were kidnapped and taken to North Korea since the Korean War ended in 1953, and 487 of the abductees still live in the communist state, the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) said Tuesday.

According to the KINU`s 2001 North Korean Human Rights white paper, the abductees break down to 3,692 fishermen, 51 aircraft crew members and passengers, 20 naval vessel crew members, two maritime policemen, and 25 others.

Of the 487 still there, there are 436 fishermen, 12 airplane crew members and passengers, 20 naval vessel crew members, two maritime policemen and 17 others.

Meanwhile, Seo Byung-Chul, president of the institute, said in the preface of the white paper, ``Despite the North`s change of attitude toward human rights issues, there is still much to improve under international human rights standards, as demanded by the UN and other international institutes.`` He added, ``There is also the possibility that North Korea will make efforts to abolish discrimination against the family members of defectors to the South.``