Seoul confirms China’s repatriation of North Koreans, raises issue with Beijing



News Seoul confirms China’s repatriation of North Koreans, raises issue with Beijing Unification ministry says forced repatriations violates international norms, can't confirm how many more in China Jeongmin Kim \| Joon Ha Park October 13, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON View from Dandong in China toward Sinuiju in North Korea, June 2016 \| Image: NK News South Korea’s unification ministry confirmed China has repatriated hundreds of North Koreans, describing the decision as counter to international norms. The ministry statement on Friday comes two days after a South Korean newspaper reported that some 600 North Koreans in China were sent back to the DPRK in trucks. The move comes despite calls from top South Korean officials, urging the Chinese government for cooperation regarding the issue of detention and forced repatriation of North Korean defectors. “It appears to be true that multiple North Koreans were sent back from China’s northeastern regions to North Korea,” said ministry spokesman Koo © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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Seoul confirms China’s repatriation of North Koreans, raises issue with Beijing

Unification ministry says forced repatriations violates international norms, can't confirm how many more in China

Jeongmin Kim | Joon Ha Park October 13, 2023

Seoul confirms China’s repatriation of North Koreans, raises issue with Beijing

View from Dandong in China toward Sinuiju in North Korea, June 2016 | Image: NK News

South Korea’s unification ministry confirmed China has repatriated hundreds of North Koreans, describing the decision as counter to international norms.

The ministry statement on Friday comes two days after a South Korean newspaper reported that some 600 North Koreans in China were sent back to the DPRK in trucks.

The move comes despite calls from top South Korean officials, urging the Chinese government for cooperation regarding the issue of detention and forced repatriation of North Korean defectors.

“It appears to be true that multiple North Koreans were sent back from China’s northeastern regions to North Korea,” said ministry spokesman Koo

About the Authors

Jeongmin Kim

Jeongmin Kim is Executive Director at Korea Risk Group, based in Seoul. She covers inter-Korean relations and North and South Korean foreign and military affairs. Kim has covered the 2022 ROK presidential election on the ground, and prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency’s Seoul bureau.

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Joon Ha Park

Joon Ha Park is a correspondent at Korea Risk Group. He has previously written on issues related to the two Koreas at The Peninsula Report, and appeared on ABC News Australia, Deutsche Welle and Monocle Radio. He specializes in offering in-depth analyses of South Korea’s defense policy, security relations and domestic politics for Korea Pro.

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