[Exclusive] North Korean Defector Brokers Profiting from 'Life Prices'... China Significantly Increases Public Security Forces

China Increases Police Presence Only in Kunming and Inner Mongolia Regions
Specific Broker Areas Attempting 'Excessive Defections'
"Government Must Investigate... Basis for Diplomatic Pressure"

China is believed to have significantly increased its public security personnel in some border areas. These are regions where specific brokers, repeatedly caught by authorities, transport North Korean defectors. A group recently arrested before crossing a river was also apprehended here. Although judicial intervention is difficult, there are calls for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for protecting overseas North Korean defectors, to investigate and document such incidents to keep these problematic brokers in check.

Chinese Public Security Deploys Personnel to Specific Areas

North Korean defectors waiting for third-country resettlement at Chiang Saen Police Station, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, May 2007. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Jang Se-yul, the executive representative of the National Alliance of North Korean Defectors, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 28th, "Since this spring, public security has significantly increased personnel in Kunming and Inner Mongolia regions," adding, "This information was obtained from a former public security officer, and as the surveillance network in these areas has strengthened, the process of defecting has become much more difficult."

Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan Province, located in the southwest of the Chinese mainland. Following the Mekong River from Kunming to Southeast Asia leads to typical 'defection routes' through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on the other hand, lies to the north and is also a defection route connecting to Mongolia.

Kunming was also the location where 15 North Korean defectors attempting to reach South Korea were arrested by public security on the 21st. Jang said, "Two groups safely arrived in Kunming, but right after sending a video of reaching the riverbank, public security raided them." The group consisted of 13 women and 2 children, who were transferred to a prison in Jilin Province, and their detailed whereabouts remain unknown. It is reported that one woman left behind a five-year-old child in China.

Another local source confirmed these reports, explaining, "There are a few specific brokers and two missionary organizations that repeatedly facilitate defections for them. The public security increased personnel in the areas where these brokers operate." Typically, defectors must move secretly in groups of two or three, but these brokers have been caught repeatedly for moving large groups simultaneously after receiving multiple requests.

Brokers Who Only Collect 'Life Fees' and Push People into Danger

On the 21st, 15 North Korean defectors attempting to cross the Mekong River in the Kunming area of China were arrested by Chinese public security shortly after sending this video. [Photo by Jang Se-yul, Representative of the Kyeoreol Unification Solidarity]

The reason public security increased personnel only in specific areas is linked to these 'problematic brokers.' Multiple sources identified two individuals. Recently, defection costs have soared from 50 million to 100 million KRW, but these two brokers recruit hopeful defectors for 13 million KRW. They take relatively low commissions from families of defectors in South Korea and additionally charge about 4 million KRW locally from the defectors themselves.

An insider who has been supporting defections covertly pointed out, "It is absurd to think that 15 people could move without being detected when surveillance includes facial recognition CCTV and mobile phone base station location data." About 80 people were arrested between June and August alone, many of whom were believed to have followed these brokers.

The insider lamented, "These brokers continue to conduct dangerous defection operations without taking responsibility, leading to repeated arrests and repatriations. It is a serious problem that some missionary organizations continue to request defections despite knowing these risks." He identified these missionary groups as "organizations that uniquely promote their defection rescue achievements and raise funds through such publicity."

In other words, certain missionary organizations that raise funds by promoting defection successes refer hopeful defectors to brokers offering cheaper fees, and these two brokers repeatedly push large groups to defect recklessly, leading to repeated arrests. Public security has thus increased personnel at points where it is easier to arrest defectors.

"If the Government Can't Rescue, It Should at Least Investigate"

Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister (left), and Cho Tae-yeol, South Korea's Foreign Minister, met in Beijing, China, in May this year.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government has not issued any specific policy beyond stating it is "verifying the facts." It has only expressed a principled stance opposing the forced repatriation of overseas North Korean defectors. Jang criticized, "They say defectors are also our citizens, yet their response is slower than that of the U.S. Every time such incidents occur, the U.S. State Department contacts us first, saying they will understand the situation and assist through diplomatic channels, ahead of the South Korean government."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for protecting and rescuing overseas North Korean defectors. Previously, this task was handled by a temporary unit called the 'Overseas Cooperation Team for the National Community,' but after recent organizational restructuring, it was incorporated into the Korea Future Policy Division under the Foreign Strategy and Intelligence Bureau. During the temporary unit period, it consisted of seven members, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff and dispatched personnel from the Ministry of Unification and the National Intelligence Service, but the exact structure and current duties have not been disclosed.

A government official said, "We have consistently conveyed opposition to forced repatriation of overseas defectors through various channels, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs," but added, "Our scope of activity regarding defectors in China is limited, and the manual for rescue requests is ambiguous, so there are practical limitations."

Lee Young-hwan, former head of the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), emphasized, "If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a response team, they should thoroughly investigate and document every defection request or incident. If China does not respond, leaving a record that they did not respond will allow for diplomatic protests later." He added, "Even if judicial intervention is difficult, if defectors are repeatedly arrested and repatriated due to specific brokers and facilitating organizations, the government should actively investigate and at least send a warning signal that it is monitoring the situation."

Brokers Deceived Defectors with 'Residence Permits'... Even Mobile Phone Inspections

A woman being dragged away by Chinese police outside the Korean Consulate in Beijing, China. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, China forcibly repatriated nearly 600 North Korean defectors immediately after the Hangzhou Asian Games closing ceremony in October last year. About 200 were reportedly repatriated in April this year. Currently, small-scale 'regular repatriations' of several dozen people at a time are taking place in the North Korea-China border areas, which are equipped with quarantine and isolation facilities.

Behind this is not only the increased deployment of public security but also a more sophisticated surveillance network. During the pandemic, public security reportedly issued a kind of 'temporary residence permit' to check whether defectors had been vaccinated, but the actual existence of this permit has not been confirmed. Some testimonies claim it is a document labeled in Chinese as a 'fine invoice.' It is said to be a document listing the personal information of the Chinese husbands and children of defecting women, intended to cover fines in case of escape. By pretending to issue residence permits, authorities identified the locations and personal details of hiding defectors and established a surveillance system.

Mobile phones held by defectors or brokers are also considered risk factors. Public security reportedly summons defectors living locally to police stations unexpectedly to inspect their phones, and it is believed they record phone line information during these inspections, according to multiple sources. By identifying the unique line and carrier of the phone, they can immediately respond and arrest defectors suspected of moving outside the base station radius. The 15 people arrested this time were caught right after sending videos of crossing the river, suggesting location tracking was involved.