Civilized countries do this?

It's a minor (at best) story on this continent, but talk to any Japanese national about North Korean abductions and you will get a definite reaction: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120475201742314523.html?mod=djemEditorialPage. I can't conceive of sending agents over to anoher country and simply kidnapping random civilians. What, there aren't enough people in your own country to torture?