Over 600 North Korean Defectors Judicially Processed:
Bound for South Korea to Political Prisons, Those in China to
Reeducation Camps
North Korean authorities have reportedly completed the investigation and judicial processing of over 600 North Korean defectors forcibly repatriated from China in October last year. Those attempting to reach South Korea were sent to political prisons, whereas those found in China faced reeducation sentences ranging from a minimum of 5 years to a maximum of 20 years, depending on their length of stay. Amidst international concern, criticism is mounting over the severe punishment meted out by North Korean officials to these repatriated defectors.
Following the 2022 Asian Games closing ceremony on October 9, the Chinese government forcibly repatriated hundreds of North Korean defectors from prisons in Jilin and Liaoning Provinces' border towns, including Hunchun, Tumen, Nanping, Changbai, and Dandong. Under Kim Jong-un's directive, they endured harsh interrogation and torture by the Ministry of State Security.
<Participants, including Lee Shin-wha, North Korean Human Rights Ambassador, speak at a press conference in August 2023 at the Seoul Press Center, opposing the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors detained in China. (Photo by Courtesy of Choi Jae-hyung's office, People Power Party (PPP) Member)>
In February, sources from Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, revealed that forcibly repatriated North Korean defectors were detained for interrogation in Hoeryong, Onsong County, Hyesan City (Ryanggang Province), and Sinuiju (North Phyongan Province). This was the first major repatriation since the pandemic began, leading Pyongyang's Ministry of State Security to send interrogation agents to the border detention sites, escalating the scrutiny of the defectors.
Sources indicate that the Ministry of State Security in North Korea segregated defectors aiming for South Korea from those residing in China, conducting investigations accordingly. After about a month of scrutiny by the Ministry of State Security, those who stayed in China were handed over to the Ministry of Social Security and were assigned reeducation sentences based on their duration of stay. Repatriated defectors were accused of 'Treason against the Nation,' per Article 63 of North Korea's criminal code, facing penalties from five years of forced labor to death or property seizure. The length of stay in China determined sentences ranging from five to twenty years.
Defectors caught attempting to reach South Korea endured over two months of rigorous interrogation by the Ministry of State Security. The North Korean authorities sought to uncover the defectors' movements in China, along with the brokers and facilitators behind their attempts to flee, resorting to torture to extract this information.
A source from Hyesan City in Ryanggang Province revealed that upon arrival at the Ministry of State Security, defectors underwent a strip search and had all personal possessions confiscated. They were forced to write repeated statements, with any discrepancies leading to accusations of falsehoods, followed by beatings and torture.
Defectors captured while trying to reach South Korea were all sent to political prison camps after two months of interrogation. A source from Sinuiju reported that among the 200 or so defectors detained, half were sent to political prisons, while the rest, who had stayed in China, were transferred to the Ministry of Social Security for reeducation. Furthermore, all additional repatriated individuals have undergone investigation and judicial processing.
Currently, defectors hiding in China live in constant fear of repatriation, with the sound of sirens causing panic and readiness to flee at a moment's notice.
According to the United Nations and North Korean human rights organizations, over 2,000 North Korean defectors were detained in Chinese prisons during the pandemic, with growing international concern over their forced repatriation.
Julie Turner, the US Department of State's Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights, recently visited the Inter-Korean Cultural Center. She highlighted the plight of North Korean defectors in China, stressing that they are separated from their children upon forced repatriation. Turner urged China to uphold non-refoulement principles, affirming the US government's staunch opposition to forced repatriations.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul recently discussed concerns over the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors with Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister and member of the Communist Party's Politburo. Cho requested China's cooperation to prevent forced repatriations and allow defectors to reach their desired destination.
North Korean defectors fled due to unbearable political and economic conditions and rightfully deserve refugee status. China, a signatory to international agreements on refugee status and torture prevention, should uphold global norms and respect human rights by ending forced repatriations to areas of danger.
The Democratic Party of Korea, purportedly advocating for human rights, neglects those of North Korean residents and defectors. Pressure should ensure the prompt establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, stalled for seven years due to the party's non-cooperation, necessitating concrete action to safeguard their rights.