Former ROK PM Calls for Return of USS Pueblo

Via DPRK Studies, come news that former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan has called on North Korea to return the USS Pueblo:

South Korea’s former Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan, called on North Korea to return a ship to the United States, and Pyongyang’s communist officials showed no immediate objection to his proposal, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday, quoting a ruling party legislator.

Lee made the proposal during a recent visit to Pyongyang, the report said.

The U.S. ship Lee referred to had been captured off the North’s east coast in 1968, and is currently on display at the bank of the Taedong River, which runs through the North Korean capital.

“While speaking to North Korean officials after looking at the USS Pueblo, former Prime Minister Lee said it would help improve the North-U.S. relations if North Korea were to return the ship back to the United States,” the official was quoted as saying while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official also quoted the former prime minister as saying that the North Korean officials’ responses “were not too bad,” according to the report.

“Not to bad”? What is “not to bad” about hijacking a ship in the Sea of Japan and then covertly moving it to Pyongyang to serve as a propaganda trophy for every foreigner visiting Pyongyang to see? It is interesting though that the only politician even bringing up the Pueblo is a former ROK Prime Minister. The return of the USS Pueblo should be included in any negotiations the United States carries out with the North Koreans, but unfortunately the USS Pueblo today remains just as forgotten as the sacrifices of the men were forgotten in 1968.

You can read more about the USS Pueblo incident in my prior posting here.