Calling for compassion, not questions, towards recent defectors

The details of how 13 North Korean
restaurant workers
in China defected to the South is sparking considerable
controversy in the South Korean media.
 

This marks the first time such an incident
has prompted a public debate of this nature despite the fact that there have
been over 30,000 defections from the North. The complicating factor is that the
majority of defectors are compelled to remain silent on certain issues due to
concerns for their own safety and that of their families in the North.

The current controversy is centered on
whether the 13 defectors came to South Korea through their own free will or
whether it was an abduction by South Korean intelligence. More recent reports
are stating that the defectors have been asked to testify in court. This shows
a lack of sensitivity to the plight of defectors and their complex personal
circumstances.
 

It is important to remember that defectors
almost always leave loved ones back home, and with their defection comes an
overwhelming sense of guilt. This significantly impacts their psychological
well-being and ability to integrate into South Korean society. To probe them on
how they came to defect would likely cause them significant distress.
   

The family members of defectors remaining
in North Korea will naturally fear repercussions from the state, warranting the
phrases seen on state-controlled media such as “not the type to defect,” or
that it was likely “not intentional.” This is in the grim hope that they may
avoid the heinous punishment-by-association that characterizes the North Korean
justice system. The regime has likely already decided how to punish the family
members and are waiting on the final response from the defectors before taking
action.
 

As a North Korean defector myself, I would
like to ask the people who are persistently requesting a cross examination of
these defectors: What exactly is it you would like to hear from these women?
Also, for what reason do you believe Pyongyang’s allegations, and why do these
carry more weight than the statements released by the South Korean government? 
 

I would like to further ask who would take
responsibility for the consequences if the defectors say they defected by their
own will. Have they considered the retribution that the regime will inflict on
their families in the North, in the name of deterring further defections?
 

Now is not the time to be demanding the
public interrogation of these individuals. They will soon leave Hanawon and
begin the long journey to integrate into South Korean society? The truth will
inevitably eventually emerge, and compassionate minds may understand that
patience here is justified.
 

If the escape was indeed an abduction, as
the North Korean authorities assert, the defectors are free to seek help from
the media and groups like Minbyun: Lawyers for a Democratic Society. They will
also surely tell their stories publicly, and are not being detained by the
South Korean authorities.
 

Pressuring these individuals to make public
statements so soon after their defection can be considered a significant
propaganda coup for the North Korean regime. I have one final thought for those
who have thrown such ‘passion’ behind this matter. How about seeking answers
from the 30,000 defectors who have already come to the South, and upon learning
their stories, offer them the support they deserve?