Unification Minister Hyun In-taek says the government will consider a West German method for resolving the issue of South Korean prisoners of war and abductees held by North Korea.

During a parliamentary question-and-answer session on Friday, the minister said the government will consider a variation of West Germany's policy of “Freikauf” or “purchase of freedom" in order to bring back South Korean POWs.

Before unification in 1990, West Germany paid massive amounts in economic compensation to East Germany in return for political prisoners.