“I don’t know exactly how many of the arrested defectors have been sent back, but certainly between the end of February and the beginning of March 20 of them were repatriated,” Peter Jung, the spokesperson for ‘savemynk.net’, a group set up to help try and rescue North Korean defectors in Chinese detention, revealed to Daily NK this morning.
“The 20 individuals were transferred to Shinuiju via Dandong,” Jung explained, going on, “We must denounce the Chinese authorities and strengthen international efforts to resolve this anti-humanitarian, barbaric situation.”
But, he added pointedly, “It is lack of civilian participation and disinterest that has put them in this deadly situation. We have to turn disinterest to interest, and interest to participation.”
Jung, who was speaking to Daily NK from in front of the Chinese embassy in Seoul where protests to try and save the refugees reached their 16th day today, noted also, “It’s not just about the repatriated people themselves, there is also the matter of punishment for their families; we must raise our voices and emphasize the North Korean human rights problem.”
The harsh criticism of both China and inadequate participation in efforts to secure their release came after South Korean daily Donga Ilbo, citing a source in Seoul, reported this morning, “China has already repatriated the 31 defectors who had been detained for 8-12 days to North Korea,” adding, “Those ten who were arrested in Shenyang, China last month are being detained by Shinuiju National Security Agency.”
