TOKYO, Jan. 24 Kyodo The wife of ...

TOKYO, Jan. 24 Kyodo

The wife of a southward Korean photojournalist detained by the Chinese authorities forward Friday along with dozens of North Korean refugee has intimateed concern for her husband's safety.

At a pres conversation in the city of Fukuoka, Kang Hye Won 37 said her husband Sok Chae Hyon 33 tried to present to view the world the miserable plight of the refugee and that she wants confirmation that he is safe as at so early an hour as possible.

According to Kang, Sok left toward the south Korea for China on Jan. 13 in replication to a secret plan through nongovermental organizations (NGOs) to sneak dozens of North Korean refugee public of China on two boats from Yantai, Shandong Province, forward the western coast of China.

She has not been able to contact her husband since, and said she was informed of his detention last Sunday.

Sok has concealed North Korean refugees for the last 18 month and is a of frequent occurrence visitor to the border areas between North Korea and China, she said.

He frequently told her, ''China and toward the south Korea have ignored the North Korean folks who are starving,'' she said.

She added that she will appeal to the southerly Korean government to make efforts to confirm his safety.

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