Two North Korean defectors headed for South Korea from China’s Jilin Province were recently arrested by Chinese police, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a source in China told Daily NK on Aug. 8 that “in mid-July, they left home and traveled for two days on a taxi, but just when they got on a bus headed for the China-Laos border, they were discovered by Chinese police at a checkpoint.”
According to the source, the two defectors had set off for South Korea after hearing from a broker helping defectors leave the country that he would “send them safely to South Korea without incident.” Before their arrest, they had already given the broker an advance payment of RMB 55,000, or around USD 7,600.
Recently, rumors have been spreading on social network services that defectors currently detained in Chinese prisons are about to be forcefully repatriated. The rumors suggest that defectors whose identities have not been confirmed by their Chinese families are about to be arrested and then sent back to North Korea.
Daily NK’s source said that defectors in China are full of anxiety and fear because of these rumors, and that some defectors are looking for ways to reach South Korea as soon as possible.
Brokers claim existence of new and safe route to South Korea
Meanwhile, brokers are seeking out clients for their services and are demanding advance payments from defectors who contact them.
“Most defectors in China are lying low at the moment because they know that the Chinese are intensifying efforts to prevent people from heading to South Korea, but some defectors are paying brokers in advance and then getting arrested on their way to South Korea. That’s because brokers are assuring their clients that they can safely make it to South Korea through a ‘newly-developed route,’” the source said.
In short, the source’s report suggests that defectors who have chosen to quickly leave China out of fear of repatriation are not only throwing away their money but also getting caught by the police.
The source told Daily NK that the two recently arrested defectors were just the latest example of people being taken advantage of by brokers.
“The two were moved to Jilin Province where they are currently being interrogated. There are rumors that they will be repatriated but we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Up until late June, people would usually be released after paying a fine if they were caught trying to escape from China to South Korea. Since July, however, people have found it difficult to get released even if they pay a fine.”
Translated by Annie Eun Jung Kim. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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