China is gathering biometric data on North Korean defectors in the country, human rights researchers have found, raising concerns among activists who fear Beijing’s actions could jeopardize the precarious living situation of the escapees.

According to a new report by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), over 29% of 102 North Korean defectors who stayed in China between 2013 and 2025 said they had registered their personal data — including facial features, voice, fingerprints and blood samples — with the Chinese public security ministry.

Chinese authorities have specifically targeted North Korean defectors with the help of closed-circuit