An elderly man's 76-year quest to find traces of his father, who was abducted to North Korea during the Korean War, has finally borne fruit — thanks to the tenacious efforts of Suwon city officials who helped resurrect records long buried in darkness.
According to the Suwon city government on Thursday, Choi Yun-han, 82, a resident of Yeonmu-dong, had spent decades visiting government agencies across the country to verify the whereabouts and history of his late father, Choi Ho-cheol (born 1917), who was abducted to North Korea in 1950 during the Korean War. The answer he received was almost always the same: "No records available." Unable to find even a shred of evidence to prove his father's life, Choi was repeatedly hurt by the indifferent responses from public institutions.
The only information Choi had about his father was the fact of his abduction and that he had served as a volunteer firefighter before the war. With the resolve that he could retreat no further, Choi visited the Saebit Civil Service Center at Suwon City Hall in June last year. The veteran team leaders he met there listened to his story with an attitude markedly different from what he had experienced before, and empathized with his desperate circumstances.
Veteran team leaders Kim Young-deok, Kim Nam-hyun and Ku Won-seo volunteered to serve as "civil petition guardians" and launched a full-scale search for records. They sent official inquiries to the National Police Agency, the National Fire Agency, the National Archives of Korea, the Ministry of Unification and other relevant agencies, requesting fact verification and documents. Their efforts yielded a crucial result: the Ministry of Unification provided records officially recognizing the late Choi Ho-cheol as a wartime abductee, along with documents listing his occupation as "firefighter."
They did not stop there. To confirm more specific traces, the team leaders accompanied the bereaved family to the National 6.25 War Abductees Memorial in Paju in September last year. After carefully examining the exhibition hall walls and the outdoor memorial monument, they confirmed that the late Choi Ho-cheol's name was officially inscribed.
Seventy-six years after being separated from his father, the aging son saw an official record for the first time. He ran his fingers over the name engraved on the memorial and could no longer hold back tears. It was the moment when decades of longing buried deep in his heart finally became real.
The veteran team leaders then consulted officials at the Gyeonggi Province Volunteer Fire Brigade Federation and the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters to discuss ways to honor the deceased's service and pay respect to the bereaved family. As a result, the Suwon Fire Station posthumously appointed the late Choi Ho-cheol as an honorary volunteer firefighter. At a Volunteer Fire Brigade Day ceremony held on March 19, the bereaved family was invited and presented with the appointment letter. The Suwon Fire Station Volunteer Fire Brigade Federation presented a plaque of appreciation, and the Gyeonggi Province Volunteer Fire Brigade Federation bestowed an honorary volunteer firefighter appointment plaque, honoring the deceased's dedication.
In a letter of gratitude to Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun, Choi wrote, "After my father was abducted, our family lived in longing for decades." He added, "The journey to the memorial was overwhelming, but the veteran team leaders accompanied us and gave us great strength." He continued, "I could feel their desire to share in one person's pain and desperation, going far beyond simple administrative support."
Choi also sent a separate letter to the veteran team leaders, stating, "Beyond simple help, I felt genuine human warmth and sincerity." He emphasized, "Thanks to their help, I was able to keep walking toward my father without stopping."
The veteran team leaders said, "Abductees are often mistaken for defectors, and their bereaved families are frequently hurt as a result." They added, "Through the civil petition guardian system, we worked to restore the deceased's honor, and it is deeply meaningful that his life has been brought back into the light."