China Protested for Returning North Koreans Escapees

It’s no secret. North Korea is top of the list.

The horrific dictatorship tops all other countries for human rights abuses and persecution of Christians by everyone who investigates such things. It rises to the level of crimes against humanity. One expert called it “sui generis” – in a category of its own.

Some North Koreans escape to neighboring China, where they may go on to other countries to get asylum.

But China does the unthinkable.

China sends escapees back to North Korea where they will be tortured, imprisoned in forced-labor camps, and even killed. Women pregnant from Chinese men are forcibly aborted.

China has forcibly returned tens of thousands of North Koreans over the past 20 years. A UN investigation of North Korea said China may be “aiding and abetting in crimes against humanity” by giving information on defectors and forcing them back to North Korea.

On Monday, Chinese embassies in 11 countries and 22 cities were protested for its forced-repatriation of North Korean defectors. The North Korea Freedom Coalition organized “Save North Korean Refugees Day” at consulates throughout the world. These consulates will report the activities back to Beijing.

Christian Freedom International joined in the protests in Washington, DC.

We began at CCTV – China’s English-language news network. Though making it convenient for CCTV to report on the protest, no one from the network came out.

At the Chinese embassy, we delivered a letter appealing to Chinese President Xi Jinping to end the repatriation of refugees. Then, as the rainy day turned to night, people took turns reading a long list of North Koreans – those who are known – that China forced back, including children and elderly escapees.

Voice of America – Korea covered it all. In Korean, so people in North Korea can learn that we stand with them.

During the Cold War, prisoners in Soviet gulags sometimes heard about people working for their freedom. Certainly the government officials did.

It gave the innocent hope and a rebuke to evil-doers so they could change their ways.