Over 20 North Korean defectors heading to South Korea were reportedly arrested in China amid tightened year-end social controls. Activist Hwang Ji-sung, who supports North Korean defectors, stated that the group, assisted by Korean missionaries at a safe house in Hebei Province, was caught in late November near the Mongolian border.
The arrested defectors, most of whom were women, were traveling in several vans when they were stopped at a checkpoint near the China-Mongolia border, sources said.
Hwang explained that during the COVID-19 lockdown, many defectors bound for South Korea were stranded in China. After restrictions eased last August, they resumed attempts, with missionaries shifting to less-monitored Mongolian routes, though most ended in arrests.
He added that since last year, over 60 defectors using the Mongolian route have been detained. Those forcibly returned to North Korea face severe consequences, especially if they are found to have interacted with Christianity. Such individuals are reportedly sent to Political Prison Camps.
A report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Roman Curia-affiliated organization, echoed similar concerns. Citing a November 28 report from Radio Free Asia (RFA), ACN warned that North Korean defectors repatriated from China and linked to Christianity are subjected to harsh punishments, including life sentences in Political Prison Camps with no chance of parole.
The ACN report detailed that in October last year, defectors who had interacted with Christians were sent to these camps. Additionally, on October 9, China forcibly repatriated about 600 North Korean defectors from prisons in Jilin and Liaoning provinces in a sudden operation.
The recent surge in arrests is believed to stem from China’s intensified crackdown on defectors. Experts point to the impact of China’s Anti-Espionage Law, introduced last year, which appears to have made it even more difficult for defectors to reach South Korea.
Local sources report that the Public Security Bureau in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia—a key transit point for defectors—has recently announced stricter measures. The bureau has implemented policies such as a reporting reward system, regular inspections, and the use of the Anti-Espionage Law to target defectors.
Defectors receiving help from foreign missionary groups or maintaining ties with families in South Korea or North Korea could even face espionage charges. Hwang criticized missionary organizations for sending defectors through unverified routes amid the heightened crackdown, calling it “extremely dangerous” and urging them to exercise caution. @sand
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