The government will pay compensation to the families of South Korean civilians abducted by North Korea since the end of the Korean War.

The Unification Ministry said that it will pay nearly 800 million won or 760-thousand U.S. dollars this month in compensation to those who were kidnapped by the North.

It is the third time that the government has paid compensation to the victims of abduction by the North since a related law went into effect in October last year.

This year, the government will pay a total of two-point-nine billion won or some two-point-seven million U.S. dollars to the victims.

Authorities believe that around 480 South Korean abductees are still being held in the North.