US Congress China Committee: "China Must Be Sanctioned for Forcibly Repatriating North Korean Defectors"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), a U.S. congressional body, has criticized China for forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors and their poor treatment, calling for sanctions against China.

On the 31st of last month (local time), the CECC made this demand in its annual report published that day. Established in 2000 to monitor human rights conditions in China, the CECC's annual report is submitted each year to the President and Congress.

In the report, the CECC recommended that the U.S. administration appoint a special envoy for North Korean human rights and cooperate with the South Korean government to provide humanitarian aid and promote human rights for North Korean defectors in China.

It also called for sanctions against Chinese government agencies or individuals involved in the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors, as well as international monitoring and pressure on the Chinese government regarding the treatment of defectors.

The CECC urged the Chinese government to recognize North Korean defectors as refugees, halt forced repatriations, enact related legislation, establish government organizations to determine refugee status, and allow defectors to travel to third countries.

The CECC pointed out that the Chinese government is detaining defectors and attempting forced repatriations, which expose them to severe punishments such as torture, imprisonment, forced labor, and execution upon their return to North Korea. It also reported that the activities of South Korean missionary groups, which played a crucial role in transporting defectors, have been restricted in recent years due to Chinese government crackdowns.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.