Chinese media cite Dong-A on N.K. defector’s murder case

Chinese state-run media criticized Beijing for not taking a proper action by covering the story of a North Korean defector who killed 4 ethnic Koreans in China, which was exclusively covered by the Dong-A Ilbo.

The Global Times newspaper, a sister newspaper of the state-run People’s Daily, covered the story titled “A Deserting North Korean solider kills 4 Chinese with a gun” on one page of its Tuesday’s edition, saying, “According to Korea’s Dong-A Ilbo”. It is exceptional that a state-run newspaper covers a story citing a foreign source.

The Global Times also ran an editorial criticizing Beijing. The editorial said, “The Chinese authorities did not release any news until the Dong-A Ilbo of Korea reported the case. The criminal neither represents the government nor the people and he is only a criminal to be punished by law. What does releasing the information have to do with the relationship between China and North Korea?”

“Being difficult to prevent illegal border-crossing cannot justify the secret treatment of a North Korean soldier’s crime,” it said. “Most disputes between China and other countries are first announced by other countries or a third country. This undermines the credibility of the government and the media.”

The Xinhua news agency and Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper also reported that a North Korean solider killed four Chinese.