Re : Mutual Repatriation of Detainees
1. In the Oral Statement which was delivered to the Japanese Foreign Ministry on August 6, 1959, the Mission stated as follows:
Strictly in accordance with the Agreement dated December 31, 1957, the Government of the Republic of Korea repatriated all those Japanese fishermen who should be released by the term of the said Agreement. To our regret, however, the Japanese Government failed to repatriate Korean detainees who should be released by the above-mentioned Agreement, and whom the Japanese Government promised to repatriate to the Republic of Korea by Japanese transportation. The Japanese Government is hereby notified that as soon as it repatriates Korean detainees presently at Omura to the Republic of Korea, the Korean Government will repatriate those Japanese fishermen who served out their sentences as of this date, in spite of the December 31, 1957 Agreement. From humanitarian point of view, the Korean Mission is ready to discuss with the Japanese Foreign Ministry on the implementation of this mutual repatriation of detainees if the latter so agrees.
2. Request the Japanese side to present a list of those Korean detainees presently at Omura. Notify the Japanese side that before the repatriation takes place, the Korean Government wishes to interview in Japan those detainees person by person confirming whether they are of postwar category.