One controversial issue in China is whether or not defectors should be classified as refugees or criminals.
While the international society favors the term “refugees,” Chinese authorities classify North Korean defectors under a criminal extradition agreement and hence, forcefully repatriates these “criminals” back to North Korea.
When North Korea was hit with a mass food shortage in the mid-90’s, the number of defectors in North East China reached a peak of 30,000. Today, the figure has dropped to 5,000~10,000. China’s repatriation policy undoubtedly has had a great influence on this.
In July 1978, North Korea-China authorities drafted an agreement to ensure security and public peace in the border regions. The agreement declared that both parties provide the names and photos of individuals who crossed the border illegally.
Whenever the international community criticizes China’s foreign affairs ministry for forcefully repatriating defectors, China has retorted by arguing that it’s position had not changed from when the agreement was first enacted and that it was acting accordingly.
However, the number of people who entered the foreign countries’ embassy in China and requested their defections to other countries such as Korea or the U.S is minute in comparison to those who were forcefully sent to North Korea. If the media exposes a particular case and it becomes a hot issue in the international community, China reacts by deporting the defector to a third country. On the other hand, if a case does not get much exposure or coverage, China silently repatriates the caught defectors back to North Korea.
Amidst these circumstances, a Chinese reporter exposed the story of one female defector. This story has been uploaded on many Chinese portals and is gaining rapid interest throughout the country.
The story has been exposed on leading Chinese site including Baidu, NetEase, Sina and Sogou.
The newspaper in which the reporter was affiliated refused to publish the story and so the reporter, identified as “Lee Ming” produced an independent coverage depicting footages of defector Kim Soon Hee in the regions of Changbai Mountain. The article was titled, “Fate of a Chosun bride who defected to China.”
The article describes Kim Soon Hee’s third attempt at escape, as she was forced to return to North Korea on two occasions as well as details about life in the North Korean labor camps and correction centers.
The reporter informed, “There are many illegal Chosun (North Korea) women living secretly in North East China” and commented, “As women who have left their hometowns and are poor, they are called, Chosun brides.”
Netizens has also been responding dynamically regarding this report.
A netizen remarked angrily, “Who made these Chosun women like this? Kim Jong Il has oil dripping from his mouth and is fat from living such a lavish life. He made Chosun into a brutal nation. It is truly evil.”
One another argued, “Kim Jong Il has used his high power and taken advantage of the North Korean people forcing them to slave labor. Furthermore, he plans to pass this power onto his sons. Under the exterior coat of socialism, he is working a feudal system.”
A netizen from Longjing advised that the women travel deep inland, “As long as the Chosun women avoid Liaoning and go to different areas, they will not caught.”
Another netizen made similar comments but was also weary of the large number of defectors: “I totally sympathize with these people. Nonetheless, they must be returned to North Korea. If we eschew this act, then China will be bombarded with refugees. If this happens, first, North Korean authorities will get further involved to the disadvantage of China and second, if there are too many refugees, the north eastern economy will collapse.”
So far, there have been no fundamental responses that defectors should be recognized as refugees. However, as the truth about female defectors spreads throughout the country, more and more Chinese people are responding with sympathy.
* The attached photo on the prior page is not related to this article.
