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omonatheydidChina arrested a South Korean national and a North Korean defector in its northeastern city of Shenyang last week, a diplomatic source said Sunday, bringing to 37 the number of South Koreans and North Korean defectors detained by the Chinese authorities in recent weeks.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Beijing has not confirmed the alleged new arrest, adding it is trying to figure out the exact number of North Korean defectors in Chinese custody.
The development illustrates China's latest crackdowns on tens of thousands of North Korean defectors who crossed the border to avoid chronic hunger and political oppression.
Many of them are believed to be seeking to travel to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries before resettling in South Korea, home to more than 22,000 North Korean defectors.
Still, China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates them to the North, where they could face harsh punishment and even execution.
The 37 detainees include three South Koreans. Two of the three South Koreans are North Korean defectors who obtained South Korean nationality, said the source who is familiar with the issue.
One of the three South Koreans is scheduled to be indicted on charges of violating a local law while South Korea and China have been in talks on the fate of two other South Korean nationals, the source said.
Some South Korean human rights activists and North Korean defector-turned-South Korean nationals are believed to be secretly working in China to help North Korean defectors reach South Korea, mostly via Southeast Asian countries.
The source also raised the possibility that China may have already repatriated 15 of the North Korean detainees.
On Thursday, China told South Korea that it was still investigating the group of alleged North Korean defectors, indicating that Beijing is unlikely to repatriate them anytime soon.
South Korea has dispatched a team of diplomats to China to try to prevent the defectors' repatriation.
Source: yonhapnews
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Beijing has not confirmed the alleged new arrest, adding it is trying to figure out the exact number of North Korean defectors in Chinese custody.
The development illustrates China's latest crackdowns on tens of thousands of North Korean defectors who crossed the border to avoid chronic hunger and political oppression.
Many of them are believed to be seeking to travel to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries before resettling in South Korea, home to more than 22,000 North Korean defectors.
Still, China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates them to the North, where they could face harsh punishment and even execution.
The 37 detainees include three South Koreans. Two of the three South Koreans are North Korean defectors who obtained South Korean nationality, said the source who is familiar with the issue.
One of the three South Koreans is scheduled to be indicted on charges of violating a local law while South Korea and China have been in talks on the fate of two other South Korean nationals, the source said.
Some South Korean human rights activists and North Korean defector-turned-South Korean nationals are believed to be secretly working in China to help North Korean defectors reach South Korea, mostly via Southeast Asian countries.
The source also raised the possibility that China may have already repatriated 15 of the North Korean detainees.
On Thursday, China told South Korea that it was still investigating the group of alleged North Korean defectors, indicating that Beijing is unlikely to repatriate them anytime soon.
South Korea has dispatched a team of diplomats to China to try to prevent the defectors' repatriation.
Source: yonhapnews
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Date: 2011-10-09 04:21 pm (UTC)