South Korea hunger striker collapses
2012-03-02 10:44 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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omonatheydidA South Korean legislator staging a hunger strike outside China's embassy collapsed on Friday during a rally denouncing Beijing's repatriation of North Korean refugees.
Park Sun-Young from the conservative opposition Liberty Forward party, fainted on the 11th day of her fasting while leading the rally of about 100 religious and other activists.
“We want China to immediately stop repatriation,” they shouted as Park was carried to an ambulance, an AFP photographer at the scene said.
The rally came as visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-Hwan for talks on North Korea and other issues.
The ministers had agreed to “cooperate closely for the smooth settlement of problems” related to their repatriation, Kim's office said in a statement.
Kim urged China to deal with the refugees in line with international rules, while Yang opposed the “politicisation and internationalisation” of the issue, Yonhap news agency said.
Kim “emphasised that China should respect international laws in dealing with the issue of North Korean defectors, based on a humanitarian perspective and the principle of no forced repatriation,” an unnamed official was quoted as saying.
Yang said China regards North Korean escapees as economic migrants, not as refugees, but expressed hopes of resolving the issue through cooperation with Seoul, Yonhap said.
Park, 55, launched her fast on February 21, vowing to continue until death unless Beijing ends its policy of sending back North Korean escapees rather than treating them as refugees.
Braving sub-zero night temperatures, she had been living in a tent near the embassy. Her strike has sparked a fresh series of anti-Beijing protests and rallies.
Activists and Seoul lawmakers say about 30 North Koreans who recently fled to China will soon be sent back. They face harsh punishment or even death in their homeland, according to the activists.
Some have already been returned, according to local media reports.
Seoul has repeatedly urged Beijing to treat fugitives from the North as refugees and not to repatriate them. China says they are economic migrants and not refugees deserving protection.
The UN refugee agency and rights watchdog Amnesty International have also urged Beijing not to send the people back. Amnesty says returnees are sent to labour camps where they are subject to torture
Source: iol
Park Sun-Young from the conservative opposition Liberty Forward party, fainted on the 11th day of her fasting while leading the rally of about 100 religious and other activists.
“We want China to immediately stop repatriation,” they shouted as Park was carried to an ambulance, an AFP photographer at the scene said.
The rally came as visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-Hwan for talks on North Korea and other issues.
The ministers had agreed to “cooperate closely for the smooth settlement of problems” related to their repatriation, Kim's office said in a statement.
Kim urged China to deal with the refugees in line with international rules, while Yang opposed the “politicisation and internationalisation” of the issue, Yonhap news agency said.
Kim “emphasised that China should respect international laws in dealing with the issue of North Korean defectors, based on a humanitarian perspective and the principle of no forced repatriation,” an unnamed official was quoted as saying.
Yang said China regards North Korean escapees as economic migrants, not as refugees, but expressed hopes of resolving the issue through cooperation with Seoul, Yonhap said.
Park, 55, launched her fast on February 21, vowing to continue until death unless Beijing ends its policy of sending back North Korean escapees rather than treating them as refugees.
Braving sub-zero night temperatures, she had been living in a tent near the embassy. Her strike has sparked a fresh series of anti-Beijing protests and rallies.
Activists and Seoul lawmakers say about 30 North Koreans who recently fled to China will soon be sent back. They face harsh punishment or even death in their homeland, according to the activists.
Some have already been returned, according to local media reports.
Seoul has repeatedly urged Beijing to treat fugitives from the North as refugees and not to repatriate them. China says they are economic migrants and not refugees deserving protection.
The UN refugee agency and rights watchdog Amnesty International have also urged Beijing not to send the people back. Amnesty says returnees are sent to labour camps where they are subject to torture
Source: iol
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no subject
Date: 2012-03-02 11:55 pm (UTC)I feel ashamed that I didn't know Beijing was doing this.
That is an awful situation.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 04:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 04:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 04:23 am (UTC)It probably has something to do with the highly tense situation between China and North Korea, especially with the recent transfer of powers in North Korea. With North Korea generally considered bat-shit crazy with nuclear powers located right at the border of Southern China, no one in right mind would provoke them. Yes you can say China is being cruel in turning away those refugees, but the fact is when you stop to consider the possible ramifications of accepting those refugees than China has every right to protect its own country and people first.
A lot of people think if China pressures North Korea as well than NK would fix itself up, but the much more likely scenario is that NK would lash out, possibly first at the one it perceived 'betrayed' them. The US can say anything it wants about how China is horrible for supporting NK, but if NK truly falls or attacks, China would be the one forced to clean up the mess, not only facing against attacks but also the hundreds of thousands of refugees that would flood into China. In addition, China has tried to encourage NK to open itself up and have an open-market system much like China, but NK has refused and closed off even further.
Yes it is morally wrong for China to turn away those people, but it is a much more favorable outcome than WWIII.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 04:54 am (UTC)Look, if China really wanted to end its policies of repatriating NK refugees, it would. A major reason why it does, is to ensure that the number of refugees is limited in order to maintain a preferable level of economic development in areas near the border/where refugees tend to stay. Unstable regimes or conflicts, often inflict considerable harm to neighbouring states who are faced with a refugee crisis. China, needless to say, does not want this to happen.
NK may present itself as a crazy regime, but its leaders would like to ensure that its grip on power remains and so they wouldnt risk pissing China off, unless the payouts were high (getting nukes for example, meant no risk of invasions by SK and the US).
Also, NK is in weak position now, which may or may not make the situation considerably more dangerous. But looking at the news, it seems like NK has taken a more conciliatory approach. Who knows if it'll last though?
Anyways, sorry for the spiel, Im a poli sci student so this stuff is what I live for
no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 08:51 am (UTC)I think we're arguing for the same point. China has no incentive to encourage or accept refugees, and as you stated it would actually be detrimental. NK actually has been getting a large amount of financial aid from SK, only second to China, as well as over billions from countries like US. I've always seen aid to NK from China and SK as means of stabilizing the volatile NK rather than with actual aims of improving the country.
I think China doesn't want refugees rushing to its boarders, or even NK collapsing before it forms a free market system. China is cold and direct in its policies and the lives of those refugees would mean nothing to them in the grand scheme of things, which is improve China. By accepting those refugees, the result could my (slightly over dramaticc :P ) scenario of WWIII and everything else to your NK submission to China; but I do know that China would not take the chance that anything could occur.
It would be amazing if there was transparencycy in the relations between China and NK, but unfortunately all we're left with is guesswork. :( One thing I did notice though was the large amounts of news coming from Beijing regarding the tense relationship with NK, yet I haven't seen anything similar to those in Western press, which is sad because it adds a totally different dimension to this.
Sorry, I replied your spiel with another D: