In late 1970s and early 1980s, Japanese citizens are vanishing without a trace.  These are ordinary folks - a high school girl walking home from badminton practice, a couple on a romantic beach stroll, just regular people living their lives. 

For years, these disappearances are shrouded in mystery. Families are left wondering, the public is baffled, and there are all sorts of theories floating around but without substantiation.  

Fast forward to 2002. In a stunning revelation, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il admits, yes, North Korean agents had abducted these Japanese citizens. Why? This is where it gets chilling. North Korea was using these abductees to train their spies in Japanese language and culture.  You're taken from your homeland to become a living textbook for foreign spies.

The number of abductees is a bit murky. North Korea initially admits to 13, but Japan says it could be much higher. Five of these abductees were eventually allowed to return to Japan, but the fate of the others remains a matter of dispute and heartache. North Korea insists some have died or never entered the country, but Japan has long doubted these claims.

This whole saga creates a massive diplomatic storm. It strains North Korea's relations with Japan big time, not to mention the pain and uncertainty for the families involved. Even today, it's a sensitive and unresolved issue, with Japan still seeking answers and North Korea often brushing it off.

Listen to learn about the entire history of the North Korean Abduction Project. 

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