The South Korean Kim Young-nam allegedly abducted by North Korea in 1978 has held a news conference with Japanese journalists in Pyongyang.

Kim on Thursday told the reporters when and how he had met his former Japanese wife Megumi Yokota. The couple’s only daughter Eun-gyong was also present.

Kim described their marriage as a happy one, and that his wife had wanted to return to Japan.

Kim said he works for a special agency in the North and has rules to observe, adding that he is unaware of how Yokota was kidnapped by the North.

Kim also disclosed photos of their wedding to Japanese reporters.

Yokota was abducted by North Korean agents at age 13 in 1977 and the North claims that she committed suicide at a Pyongyang hospital in 1994.