China Sends Back North Korean Defectors

The Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea (Hanbyun) claimed on the 16th that China forcibly repatriated nearly 100 North Korean defectors several times in November and December last year, following October.

According to Hanbyun, on November 20th last year, the Public Security Bureau in Dandong, China, forcibly sent back about 30 defectors through the Shinuiju Customs, and they were handed over to the Security Department in North Pyongan Province.

Hanbyun explained in detail that these defectors went to North Korea in the same vehicle as North Korean workers returning home after their labor contracts ended in China.

In late November, more than 10 forcibly repatriated defectors entered the detention center of the Security Department in Ryanggang Province, and more than 20 defectors were sent back to Ryanggang Province at the end of December.

It is said that 35 defectors were repatriated through the Namhyang Customs in Onsong, North Hamgyong Province, on December 26th. The number of forcibly repatriated people confirmed by Hanbyun alone is close to 100 in November and December.

Earlier, China had forcibly repatriated a large number of defectors around the closing of the Hangzhou Asian Games in early October last year, and the number was estimated to be as few as 600 and as many as 2,600.

Hanbyun called for the removal of China’s status as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for continuing forced repatriation of defectors against their will and announced that it had sent a letter demanding this to Elizabeth Salomon, the UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights.

By. Wiki Tree