South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae-yul called for Beijing to refrain from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors in his first meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Monday, while raising concerns about weapons trade between Russia and the DPRK.

Cho’s comments during four-hour talks with Wang Yi in Beijing came just weeks after human rights groups said China sent at least 260 North Koreans back to their home country in late April, the latest in a series of alleged forced repatriations since last year.

“Minister Cho communicated domestic and international concerns about the forcible repatriation of North Korean defectors, and requested