Mick Hartley

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Defection getting harder

More defector news from the Daily NK:

Approximately 30 North Korean defectors have been arrested by Chinese public security officials in the city of Shenyang and are facing repatriation.

Three groups of defectors totaling approximately 30 individuals, including children under the age of five, were arrested while in transit from Shenyang (China) to Vietnam. They have been transported to the border city of Dandong, and are likely to be repatriated to North Korea soon, a source close to North Korean affairs in China reported to Daily NK on November 30.

"North Korea’s State Security Department [SSD] is exchanging gold produced at state-run mines in the border area to the Chinese authorities in return for the repatriation of defectors. For this reason, leaflets and placards have been posted in Chinese cities advertising rewards for reporting defectors to the police. This has made it more difficult for defectors to hide," the source added.

"North Korea and China appear to have reached an agreement on active detection and repatriation of North Korean defectors. With the end of the year approaching, Chinese public security forces and North Korea’s SSD are planning a massive detection operation."

In addition, the North Korean authorities have recently announced a domestic 'reward system' in order to prevent defection attempts before they occur.

A source in North Hamgyong Province added, "Recently, the atmosphere around the border regions has become tense, as Kim Jong Un issued orders to 'prevent defections no matter the cost.' Security agents have informed residents that the reward for reporting a planned defection is 5 million KPW (approx 600 USD)."…

"With the severe crackdowns, no one is bold enough to attempt defection. The brokers that normally aid defectors are saying, “It is hard to make a living because no one wants to defect anymore," the source concluded.

It's not just their own safety that potential defectors need to be concerned about – and the risk of being shot on sight. They also have to think about the relatives they leave behind:

A North Korean woman in her 20s from Musan County, North Hamgyong Province, has been released after detention and severe torture for a month by the State Security Department (SSD). Reportedly, her only crime was that she was related to a defector. This development comes as the regime steps up its oppressive measures against families of defectors in its attempts to strengthen control and surveillance of the border area. 
 
"The Provincial Ministry of State Security arrested a woman in her 20s under the accusation that she could not have earned a lot of money from farming alone. The security agents tortured her for a month, ordering her to 'disclose where the money came from,’” a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on November 30.
 
"She was released after a month because they couldn’t determine that a crime had been committed, but she is as good as dead after receiving severe beatings," the source added.
 
According to the source, an aunt of the woman was also detained and interrogated for the same reason in April, but unfortunately lost her life after enduring torture for ten days. The family has no avenue of recourse against the SSD, as any such attempt would have them branded as ‘traitors.’
 
"At the time, the SSD alleged that she died of ‘illness.' This time, the SSD stated it was a 'reasonable punishment' although the innocent woman was almost beaten to death," the source noted.
 
"(The authorities) are alleging that family members of defectors are disguised spies that are conducting clandestine operations with money provided by the South Korean government. The security agents are said to be trying to force family members to confess," a separate source in the same province said.

 

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