Woo Yong-gak (29 November 1929 – 7 December 2012)[1] was a North Korean commando who was released from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999.
Woo was captured during a North Korean commando raid in South Korea's east coast waters in 1958 while he participated as one of the raiders.
[8] Throughout his imprisonment he refused to sign an oath of obedience to South Korea's National Security Law, which bans the display or expression of any pro-North Korean sentiment.
[16] It was proposed that he be allowed to return to North Korea, where he had a wife and son,[17] in exchange for South Korean prisoners of war.
[18] He returned to North Korea, though not in exchange for any imprisoned South Koreans, in early September 2000,[19][20] and was immediately awarded the National Reunification Prize.