[imText1]A street campaign was organized on Myungdong Street in Seoul to protest the forced repatriation of defectors by the Chinese government. The International Campaign to Block the Repatriation of the NK Refugees (International Campaign) held the street event as part of the 444 Days Relay Campaign that began May 23rd and is to last through opening day of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Since May 23rd, the International Campaign has sponsored daily one-person demonstrations in front of the Chinese consulate in Seoul and street campaigns every Saturday. They delivered leaflets to citizens stating “Although North Korean people in China are legal refugees under international law, they are forcefully sent back to North Korea and executed by North Korean authority. The Chinese government should stop repatriating defectors to North Korea and respect their human rights so that the international festival that is the Beijing Olympics can be justified.”
A defector from South Pyongan participating in the campaign said firmly that “this is for my hometown where my husband and grand-children live now. I will definitely participate in this campaign.”
[imText2]
[imText3]
[imText4]
[imText5]
