Please stop the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees!
December 10, 2023
President Xi Jinping,
We are writing to you with a sense of urgency and deep concern regarding the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees by the Chinese government. As a group of North Korean refugees currently residing in Toronto, Canada, we implore you to take immediate action to halt this practice.
Recent reports have revealed the shocking and distressing news that over 600 North Korean defectors, including pregnant women and children, have been secretly and forcibly repatriated. These individuals have often been subjected to imprisonment in remote areas along the North Korea-China border, both prior to and after the Hangzhou Asian Games, an event aimed at promoting peace and unity among Asian nations.
We, as North Korean defectors ourselves, have experienced firsthand the dire consequences of being sent back to North Korea. The exodus of North Korean refugees seeking to escape oppression and death has persisted for over three decades. It is disheartening to witness that this situation not only continues but has worsened over time.
President Xi Jinping,
We appeal to your sense of empathy as a parent and ask you to imagine the anguish of having to leave behind your beloved daughter to a place where you may never return.
The words of a North Korean mother, written from her prison cell in the Chinese city of Tumen, echo the heart-wrenching reality faced by many: “My dear son, your mom was born a North Korean woman, and I had to leave you at such a young age and go to a place of death where I will never see you again, and when you grow up, you will know why I was taken away.”
In 2014, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK COI) documented that the North Korean government had committed crimes against humanity against individuals forcibly repatriated from China. The DPRK COI highlighted the risks of torture, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, execution, forced abortion, and infanticide faced by defectors upon repatriation.
As a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and Protocols, as well as the Convention Against Torture, China is bound by the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of individuals to a place where they may face persecution or harm. However, the continued repatriation of detained and imprisoned North Koreans contradicts these international obligations.
The deportation of North Koreans by China is justified under Article 4.1 of the “Agreement on Mutual Cooperation in the Work of Maintaining State Security and Social Order in Bilateral Border Areas,” (关于在边境地区维护国家安全和社会秩序的工作)signed by North Korea and China in July 1998. According to this agreement, individuals without a legitimate certificate or those who cross the border with a certificate not processed through the designated passage points and inspection agencies are deemed illegal crossers. Article 4, paragraph 2 further stipulates the immediate exchange of information on irregular menstruators and related data.
It is worth noting that these bilateral agreements potentially conflict with the principle of non-refoulement outlined in Article 33 of the UN Refugee Convention and Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture.
It is crucial to acknowledge the dire situation faced by North Koreans, including torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced abortion, and imprisonment in harsh labor camps, with the possibility of execution upon their return to North Korea. Granting them legal refugee status and halting deportations to North Korea is essential.
On International Human Rights Day, established by the United Nations in 1948, we urge China to formally end the policy of forcible repatriation of North Koreans and establish a process for individualized determination of refugee status. By doing so, China can demonstrate its commitment to human rights and contribute to a more just and compassionate world.
We implore you to cease the forced repatriation of these individuals, ensuring their safety and upholding their fundamental human rights. By doing so, China can demonstrate its commitment to human rights, regional stability, and compassion for those in desperate need.
We sincerely hope that you will give serious consideration to our plea and take immediate action to address this urgent matter. Together, we can work towards a more just and humane world.
Yours sincerely,
Dec 10, 2023
• General Federation of North Korean Defectors in Canada(CFNK)
canadanorthkorean@gmail.com
• Crossing NK
crossingnk@gmail.com
