North Korean Refugees and the Imminent Danger of Forced Repatriation from China

Close to 2000 North Korean refugees are reportedly held in detention centers near the China-North Korea border. Once North Korea lifts its COVID-19 imposed border closure policy, these refugees will likely face forced repatriation, despite the Chinese government’s international obligation to protect asylum-seekers. Any large-scale repatriation is a humanitarian and human rights crisis, particularly considering that previously repatriated North Korean refugees experienced torture, sexual assault, forced abortion, forced labor, and, in some cases, execution. According to experts, North Korea will reportedly begin reopening the borders as early as this summer, highlighting both the urgency of this issue and the need for action by the United States and its allies.

The hearing will examine the current situation on the ground in China and how COVID-19 has changed the landscape of North Korean defection. Experts on North Korean refugees and former United States and South Korean diplomats will provide testimony about the experiences of asylum-seekers in China and what can be done by the international community to curtail a massive repatriation effort and resulting humanitarian crisis.

The hearing can be viewed on the CECC’s YouTube Channel.

Hearing Transcript [PDF]