Kim Young-ho, Directly Criticizes 'Forced Repatriation to China'... "Human Rights of Defectors Must Be Guaranteed"

'Seminar Opposing Forced Repatriation of North Korean Defector Jaejung' Congratulatory Address
"Refugees Who Need Protection... Chinese Government Must Cooperate"

Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, directly criticized the Chinese government's policy of 'forcible repatriation of North Korean defectors.' He defined North Korean defectors as 'refugees who should be protected' and emphasized that the Chinese government must cooperate to allow them to enter hopeful countries, including South Korea.

On the 16th, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, during the congratulatory speech at the 'Press Conference and Seminar Opposing the Forced Repatriation of North Korean Defectors Detained in China', Minister Kim stated, "North Korean defectors in China should be recognized as refugees who have the right to have their lives and human rights protected, rather than merely as illegal entrants," adding, "Forcible repatriation against their will contradicts the spirit of international norms and violates the 'principle of non-refoulement.'"

Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, delivering a congratulatory speech
[Photo by Yonhap News]

He continued, "North Korean defectors in China should be guaranteed human rights according to international standards and be able to enter countries they wish to, such as South Korea," emphasizing, "We request the Chinese government’s cooperation regarding the detention and forced repatriation issues of North Korean defectors in China, which South Korea and the international community have continuously raised."

In particular, Minister Kim said, "The government will accept all North Korean defectors who wish to come to South Korea," and added, "We will do our utmost to ensure that defectors in China and other third countries can enter the country quickly and safely and live proudly as members of the Republic of Korea without any discrimination or disadvantage."

Choi Jae-hyung, a member of the People Power Party, also stated in a press release, "The Chinese government must comply with international agreements such as the 'Refugee Status Convention' and the 'Convention Against Torture' and immediately stop forced repatriation," urging, "We call on all measures to be taken to allow North Korean defectors to safely move to South Korea or third countries according to their wishes." Lee Shin-hwa, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights, who gave the keynote speech, emphasized, "For North Korean residents, defecting is a clear political choice to exercise their right to survive."

Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, shaking hands with Lee Shin-hwa, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At the seminar hosted by Assemblyman Choi and organized by the North Korean Human Rights Database Center (NKDB), several human rights experts raised issues regarding human rights violations against North Korean defectors in China.

Seo Bo-bae, a researcher at the North Korean Human Rights Database Center, stated, "About 75% of forced repatriation victims are women," diagnosing that "this is due to the generalization of securing hiding places through marriage with local Chinese men, which has led to a sharp increase in the proportion of women defecting." She further expressed concern, saying, "Due to their illegal status, many are subjected to human trafficking and forced marriages in China."

Professor Cho Jung-hyun of the Graduate School of Law at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies mentioned the possibility of North Korea lifting its border closure, noting, "There are concerns that about 2,000 North Korean defectors detained in China may soon be forcibly repatriated." He called for the government’s active role in identifying the actual conditions of defectors detained in China and urging the Chinese government to fulfill its international legal obligations.

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