Reunion in Ulaanbaatar - The Moment the Yokota Family's Prayers Were Received (2014)

Reunion in Ulaanbaatar - The Moment the Yokota Family's Prayers Were Received (2014)
In March 2014, a meeting was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, between Megumi Yokota's parents, Shigeru and Sakie, and Megumi's daughter, Eun Kyung. North Korea had long insisted that the meeting take place only within North Korea, so the meeting outside the country was highly unusual and a diplomatic turning point. At the time, North Korea was reeling from tougher sanctions and isolation, while Japan was searching for a way out of the stagnation over the abduction issue. It was a reunion at a crossroads of circumstances on both sides.
For more than 30 years, the Yokotas had been appealing to the international community for support for their daughter, whose whereabouts remained unclear. There were not many words exchanged at the meeting, but the silence was complicated by the weight of years, pain, and relief. Eun-gyeong expressed her respect and closeness to her grandparents despite the burden of her life in North Korea, and quietly conveyed the certainty of her family ties.
The brief visit symbolized how deeply the abductions have damaged human dignity and the family's way of being. It was a time when the closed door was slightly opened, as the family's prayers remained unwavering despite the state's attempts to play with them.