Minister of Unification Requests International Cooperation to Prevent China's Forced Repatriation to North Korea

Salmon, UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights, Meets Alton, UK Senator
Kim Young-ho "Opposes Forced Repatriation... Principle of Accepting All Defectors"

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho requested international cooperation to prevent the Chinese government's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors.

According to the Ministry of Unification on the 18th, Minister Kim held separate video meetings in the afternoon with Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, and David Alton, a member of the UK House of Lords, urging international attention and cooperation regarding the 'forced repatriation of North Korean defectors.' The government has repeatedly emphasized its stance against forced repatriation and the principle of accepting all defectors. Nevertheless, as the Chinese government proceeded with repatriations, the Ministry of Unification is interpreted to have requested cooperation from international experts and Western countries to indirectly pressure China.

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho is requesting cooperation to prevent the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors through a video conference with Elizabeth Salmone, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in North Korea, and David Alton, British Member of the House of Lords, on the 17th.
[Photo by Ministry of Unification]

During the meetings, Minister Kim expressed concern over the large-scale repatriation incident, emphasizing, "Forced repatriation against the free will of overseas North Korean defectors must not occur, and the South Korean government holds the principle of accepting all defectors who wish to enter the country." Furthermore, Minister Kim repeatedly urged, "Solidarity and cooperation with the international community are expected to be of great help in resolving such issues."

In response, David Alton stated, "We are seriously concerned about the potential torture and detention that may occur if overseas North Korean defectors are repatriated," and strongly urged that "all countries must comply with the international norm of the 'principle of non-refoulement.'"

On the same day, Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea who met with Minister Kim, along with several human rights experts working at the UN, issued a statement in Geneva, Switzerland. These experts criticized the Chinese government, stating, "Under international law's principle of non-refoulement, North Korean defectors must not be sent back to North Korea." The statement was signed by 18 individuals, including the chair and vice-chair of the UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, the chair and vice-chair of the Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls, and the chair of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho is requesting cooperation to prevent the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors through a video conference with Elizabeth Salmone, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in North Korea, and David Alton, British Member of the House of Lords, on the 17th.
[Photo by Ministry of Unification]

Earlier, through missionary organizations engaged in rescuing North Korean defectors, it was reported that on the night of the 9th, the day after the closing of the Hangzhou Asian Games, 500 to 600 North Korean defectors residing in China were massively repatriated. Four days later, on the 13th, the Ministry of Unification stated, "It appears to be true that a large number of North Korean residents, including defectors, were repatriated from the three northeastern provinces of China to North Korea."

Meanwhile, Tae Yong-ho, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee who was staying in the United States for a government audit, also met with US State Department officials on the 16th (local time) to request international cooperation to prevent forced repatriation. The US State Department promised to pressure the Chinese government by raising the issue of 'halting forced repatriation' in future US-China bilateral talks.

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