[On the Brink of Repatriation] ④ 'Value Diplomacy' Tested... "UN Pressure Left Untouched"

Lee Sinhwa "International Community Must Address North Korean Defectors in China"
UN Refugee Agency Neglects, Government Should Pressure Responsibility
Instead of Direct Korea-China Clash... Indirect Pressure via UN
Taeyongho "Yoon Should Urge Xi Jinping to Halt Repatriation"

Editor's NoteWith the opening of the Hangzhou Asian Games on the 23rd, North Korean defectors in China have been pushed to the brink of forced repatriation. If North Korea, which had closed its borders due to the spread of COVID-19, resumes human exchanges in connection with the Asian Games, there is a growing possibility that a large number of defectors detained in China will be forcibly repatriated. North Korean defectors suffer human rights abuses such as human trafficking while in China, and after repatriation, they face risks of detention, torture, and execution. Asia Economy has focused on the harsh reality faced by defectors and explored the role of our government in preventing their repatriation.

Voices are growing that our government should increase pressure to prevent the repatriation of North Korean defectors in China. Inside and outside the government, there are calls to mobilize UN agencies responsible for refugee issues to effectively pressure China while avoiding diplomatic friction. In particular, raising criticism of the repatriation of defectors through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is also mentioned as an indirect pressure option.

Lee Sinhwa: "If China Wants to Be a Leader, It Must Comply with Human Rights Norms"

Lee Sinhwa, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

Lee Sinhwa, Director of the North Korean Human Rights International Cooperation Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently said in an interview with Asia Economy held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, "The issue of overseas North Korean defectors who are at risk of repatriation is a global issue that the international community must urgently pay attention to," adding, "There is a significant risk of persecution if repatriated to North Korea, and a well-founded fear is recognized." He criticized China's policy of treating defectors as illegal immigrants rather than refugees and sending them back to North Korea. It is known that defectors suffer human rights abuses such as forced labor, detention, torture, and execution after repatriation.

The Yoon Seok-yeol administration has repeatedly emphasized the 'principle of full acceptance' instead of directly confronting the Chinese government regarding the repatriation of defectors. It is a subtle pressure implying that there is an option to go to South Korea instead of repatriation. The director mentioned the need for 'quiet diplomacy' to reduce side effects from diplomatic friction and proposed a 'two-track approach'. The government should take a cautious stance while utilizing the voices of NGOs and human rights organizations. This is a meaningful difference compared to previous administrations that suppressed civil voices on the defector issue.

Lee Sinhwa, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

He especially emphasized that the government should mobilize the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The director pointed out, "While it is politically burdensome for a specific government to intervene, UNHCR has the right to access refugees in China through a special agreement signed in 1995." He diagnosed the situation where the Chinese government does not recognize defectors as refugees as a limitation but criticized, "UNHCR can also request third-party mediation beyond the agreement, but since 2013, it has stopped publicly mentioning the issue of forced repatriation."

The director assessed, "The Chinese government seems to worry about international criticism if it repatriates defectors, and about the possibility of social chaos in North Korea caused by mass defections if it does not repatriate, especially the latter." He added, "China is not only a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention but also a member of the Human Rights Council. If it wants to play a leading role in the international community, it must first show compliance with human rights and humanitarian norms. I hope North Korean defectors are no exception."

Yoon Administration Leads International Opinion... "Pressure on Refugee Agencies Needed"

(From left) Lee Jeong-hoon, Chairman of the Future Unification Planning Committee at the Ministry of Unification (Professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies), Shin Hee-seok, Legal Analyst of the Transitional Justice Working Group, and Tae Young-ho, Member of the People Power Party.

Experts also pointed to increasing pressure on China through UN agencies as the most realistic measure. There is also advice that President Yoon Seok-yeol should clearly urge President Xi Jinping, who has expressed willingness to visit South Korea, to stop repatriation.

Lee Jung-hoon, the first Director of the North Korean Human Rights International Cooperation Division and a member of the Ministry of Unification's Future Planning Committee, criticized, "UNHCR is completely neglecting its duties." He said, "Not all North Korean defectors can be considered 100% refugees as China claims, but it is important to distinguish who among them entered illegally for economic reasons and who fled persecution by North Korean authorities. That is the role of UNHCR." He suggested that UNHCR can sufficiently access defectors by leveraging China's policy.

Lee emphasized again, "The crisis of North Korean defectors is naturally something our government must take the lead on," adding, "To safely rescue as many defectors as possible without provoking North Korea, the role of UNHCR is crucial." He continued, "Although UNHCR has won the Nobel Peace Prize twice, it is questionable what role it has played regarding defectors in China. We must condemn and pressure it."

President Yoon Suk-yeol Photo by Yonhap News

Along the same lines, more concrete alternatives were also proposed. Shin Hee-seok, former legal analyst of the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), which has led cooperation among domestic and international North Korean human rights organizations, suggested, "Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho and Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin should meet with the Seoul office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Korea representative offices of UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM)." He proposed, "If they discuss and announce response measures with these agencies, it will not only bring their responsibilities to the surface but also influence international public opinion to pressure China."

There is also an opinion that a clear voice to 'stop repatriation' should be raised against President Xi Jinping, who is expected to visit South Korea within the year. Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party, urged, "We need to shift from 'quiet diplomacy' to 'loud diplomacy' and publicize this issue internationally," adding, "President Yoon should demand that President Xi stop forced repatriation and assist defectors in moving to third countries or South Korea in the form of deportation." He continued, "The government must show this through actions, not words," emphasizing, "Active efforts to rescue defectors will be the litmus test for the sincerity of the 'value diplomacy' policy."

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