National News Yokota's husband from South, test shows

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The Japanese government said April 11 that the husband of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese national abducted by North Korea, is most likely a South Korean national also abducted by the North.

DNA analyses were conducted on relatives of the man, Kim Young Nam, who was a 16-year-old high school student when he disappeared in 1978.

The test showed the possibility is high that a blood relationship exists between the relatives and Yokota's North Korean-born daughter, 18-year-old Kim Hye Gyong.

It remains unknown, however, if the man is identical to Kim Chol Jun, who North Korea previously said was Yokota's husband. Tokyo is trying to verify the point, but Kim Chol Jun has refused Tokyo's request to offer any samples for DNA testing.

Yokota's father, Shigeru Yokota, told reporters that he hopes the result will make "a breakthrough to resolving the abduction issue" and that he intends to cooperate with South Koreans to raise public attention to the issue in the neighboring country.

North Korean agents abducted Yokota in 1977 when she was 13. Pyongyang has told Japan that Yokota married a man named Kim Chol Jun in 1986 and gave birth to Kim Hye Gyong in 1987, but committed suicide in 1994 while being treated for depression. (Kyodo)

横田さんの夫は韓国人拉致被害者

北朝鮮による拉致被害者、横田めぐみさんの夫は、北朝鮮によって拉致された韓国人男性の可能性が高いことが11日、日本政府による DNA 鑑定で分かった。

Shukan ST: April 21, 2006

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