The South Korean government has advised China at the United Nations Human Rights Council to provide adequate protection for defectors, including North Koreans. It also recommended respecting the principle of nonrefoulement and other international norms and considering enacting refugee laws. Although expressed diplomatically, it means to stop the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors. It is the first time that the South Korean government has called for an end to the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors in a UN meeting attended by China. In addition to South Korea, countries like the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Uruguay, and Afghanistan also pointed out the issue of repatriating North Korean defectors. Notably, the U.K. used the direct term “end,” and the Czech Republic used “refrain,” employing more direct expressions than South Korea, the concerned country.
Most defectors from North Korea flee due to starvation. If repatriated, they often face torture, imprisonment, and potentially fatal outcomes. The harrowing experiences of North Korean defectors who have been caught and forcibly repatriated by China are shuddering. North Korean defectors are clear refugees under international law, and China is a signatory to the Refugee Convention. Yet, China does not protect these refugees but instead forcibly repatriates them, fully aware of the dire fate that awaits them upon return. The Chinese Communist Party may inherently disregard human rights. However, participating in killing and suppressing North Korean defectors by flagrantly violating international treaties they have agreed to is a separate and severe issue, raising questions about China’s qualifications as a UN member state.
Previous South Korean governments have practiced so-called “quiet diplomacy” to avoid provoking China, fearing that it might hinder the cooperation needed for bringing North Korean defectors to South Korea. The approach was more about being cautious of China’s reaction than diplomacy. China has no reason to act cautiously towards countries that take such a stance. Hence, it is believed that China carried out the unprecedented act of repatriating a group of 500-600 defectors in October last year. The South Korean government’s recent request at the UN for China to stop repatriating defectors is just the beginning. South Korea must persistently and seriously request, in solidarity with the international community, to save every possible North Korean defector.
