China Kills One North Korean Escapee, Arrests 17

China Kills One North Korean Escapee, Arrests 17. April. 13, 2004 21:45. by Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com.

A man in his twenties, presumed to be a North Korean deserter on active service, was reported to have been arrested on April 13 by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs even after he had the chance to step inside the court of the Korean Consulate in Beijing on April 6.

Quoting North Korean escapee Mr. Kim (31) in Beijing, the Associated Press reported the story and posted two of the man’s photographs provided by Mr. Kim. The photograph showed a man in his twenties jumping over the wall of the Consulate building and standing inside the court of the Consulate.

The Associated Press reported Mr. Kim’s statement: “On April 6 around noon, upper rank Private (Korean Sergeant) Choi (23) who came wishing to seek refuge in Korea jumped over the iron fence of the building that the Korean Embassy in Beijing leased. However, he was dragged to the guardroom after being captured by 4 or 5 guards of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

It has been reported that while working with a North Korean mechanized unit, Private Choi arrived in Beijing on April 3 by passing Yenji, Jirin city of China and attempted to seek refuge in South Korea.

Regarding this incident, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated, “We ordered a confirmation of facts at the local consulate. However, we haven’t heard back from China yet.”

He added “Although the Consulate stationed in Beijing are leasing all of the single story buildings, because foreign enterprises and foreign consulates are occupying other single story buildings adjacent to the Consulate, ‘Protection of Consulate Rights’ only applies within the Korean Consulate building according to international law.”

On the other hand, Durihana, a corporation that aids North Korean escapees, claimed “While heading to outer Mongolia, 24 North Koreans who escaped to China on April 1 were shot by the Chinese border patrol in Yochi city, Manzhouli on April 2, resulting in one death, six missing, and 17 arrests”.

Durihana stated, “Upon entering Mongolia, they were planning to apply for refugee status at the Korean embassy” and added, “This is the first time the Chinese authorities have opened fire on North Korean escapees.” Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started their investigation for the facts.