Former President Truong Tan Sang lights incense at a cementary for war martys on Phu Quoc island. (Photo: K.Nam)

Under a protocol on returning POWs following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, tens of thousands of Vietnamese POWs were freed from the biggest prison in the south, which at one point detained up to 40,000 prisoners, including many political prisoners.

“From ‘hell on earth’, Phu Quoc island has become ‘heaven on earth’. I’m really moved to reunite with my fellow soldiers who experienced brutal torture at Phu Quoc prison,” said Nguyen Thanh Hai, a former Phu Quoc prisoner. 

Phu Quoc prison is recognized as a special national relic and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kien Giang province.