U.S., South Korean envoys urge China to end repatriations of North Korean defectors

Julie Turner, the American special envoy on North Korean human rights, urged Beijing to stop repatriating North Korean defectors during her visit to Seoul on Monday...

Julie Turner, the U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights, center, and Lee Shin-wha, the ambassador for international cooperation on North Korean human rights in Seoul, right, speak with students, activists and North Korean defectors at the Korea University in Seoul on Monday. [NEWS1]

Julie Turner, the American special envoy on North Korean human rights, urged Beijing to stop repatriating North Korean defectors during her visit to Seoul on Monday.

“We have deep concerns over these reports and very much urge the PRC [People’s Republic of China] and all governments to uphold their commitment under the relevant international treaties,” Turner told reporters in Seoul on Monday with her South Korean counterpart, Lee Shin-wha.

Some 600 North Koreans were reportedly repatriated from China following the Asian Games earlier this month. The South Korean government confirmed the repatriation last week but did not verify the numbers.

Lee, the ambassador for international cooperation on North Korean human rights in Seoul, also urged Beijing to abide by international rules and refrain from further repatriations. Around 2,000 North Korean defectors are believed to be detained in China.

“We must emphasize to China that it has a role to play as a global and regional leading nation and that this role comes with responsibilities,” Lee said in addressing a group of students and activists gathered for a forum hosted by the Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Seoul at the Korea University on Monday.

“The reports of repatriations are extremely saddening and angering and must not ever be repeated,” she added.

Turner flew into Seoul this week within days of being appointed. Nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden in January this year, Turner received the Senate confirmation last Friday, finally filling the position, which had been vacant for six years.

The envoy met with Foreign Minister Park Jin on Monday.

Park, in the meeting, voiced his hopes for closer cooperation between the South Korean and U.S. governments to improve the human rights situation of the North Korean people.

“It is the South Korean government’s position that North Korean defectors should not be forcibly repatriated against their will under any circumstances,” Park was quoted to have said in the meeting by the ministry in Seoul.

The ministry said it will continue to try to ensure that North Korean defectors who wish to come to the South can do so safely and speedily.

The two envoys, with Elizabeth Salmón, the United Nations special rapporteur on North Korean human rights, may draft a joint statement urging the Chinese government to refrain from repatriating more North Korean defectors detained in the country, according to Lee.

The trio were scheduled to meet in New York next week.

Lee and Turner on Monday also heard from students and activists in Seoul, including defectors.

“There is still another 2,000 defectors at the risk of being repatriated,” said Kim Il-hyeok, a North Korean defector who had spoken of his experiences of human rights violations in North Korea at the UN Security Council in August.

“We hope that the South Korean and the U.S. governments, the UN and similar organizations can come up with a solution to help the defectors,” Kim said.

Some activists with years of experience building understanding between South Koreans and the defectors spoke of social and political obstacles they still commonly face.

“It is difficult to speak about North Korean human rights issues in South Korea without getting mired in politics,” said Park Jun-kyu, founder of the Young Leader Forum of the Korean Peninsula, a civic group of young South Koreans and North Korean defectors. “It would be helpful if the South Korean government could develop a system to prevent extreme swings in its policies on the North brought on by political agendas and interests.”

The nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States also met on Monday.

Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, in their meeting in Indonesia, stressed that any military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, banned by the UN Security Council resolutions, must never happen.

Vowing to work together for the denuclearization of North Korea, the two also agreed for continued cooperation with China to encourage "responsible and constructive" engagement from Beijing on the issue, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]