North Korea recently issued an order to some of its overseas embassies instructing them to repatriate students who have finished their studies, Daily NK has learned.
“On Apr. 23, some overseas embassies received an order for all students in Russia, Romania and elsewhere in Eastern Europe who finished their studies during the COVID-19 period to prepare to return home,” a reporting partner in China told Daily NK on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
The order was issued to the embassies after being ratified by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the reporting partner said.
The order called for embassies to document the activities of North Korean students during the COVID period, as well as the activities of acquaintances of students who absconded, and to send the materials back to North Korea. The order also instructed officials to swiftly complete preparations to return to North Korea students who have been waiting to return home since completing their studies.
“The authorities take a particular stern view of how several students who were residing abroad during the protracted closure of the border escaped to the West or other countries, so they ordered overseas students to return home despite the policy to maintain intensive quarantine efforts,” the reporting partner said.
In fact, countless North Korean students overseas who could not return home due to Pyongyang’s sealing of the border have gone missing. North Korea views this brain drain as a serious problem, and is moving to quickly repatriate students who completed their overseas studies during the COVID period, he explained.
“The embassies that received the order are compiling materials on the activities of the students who have been ordered home during the COVID period, and have confiscated their passports. The students in question are waiting for the day of their recall. I understand the authorities are currently debating the question of whether to expand the repatriation order to countries beyond Eastern Europe.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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