Laws Toughened Against North Korean Defectors
- 14 years ago
According to a UN official, North Korea has toughened laws and increased punishments in recent years for those caught trying to leave the reclusive state.
According to a U.N. special rapporteur, North Koreans who try to escape the communist state face harsher punishment than ever for trying to flee its borders.
[Vitit Muntarbhorn, U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights]: (English)
"Over the past year plus, I've noted stricter punishment against people leaving the country of origin and we note generally a decline of outflows from the country of origin into neighboring countries."
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have fled the state. Its already troubled economy has been made worse by years of Pyongyang's bungled policies and sanctions imposed by other countries.
[Vitit Muntarbhorn, U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights]: (English)
"The example of people trying to leave and being punished for trying to leave or sent back and being punished more severely, this is a very worrying state of affairs and that's gotten worse over the past couple of years."
Muntarbhorn is in the final year of his six-year mandate during which he has tried to enter North Korea for research but has been refused entry by its communist authorities.
More than 16,000 North Koreans have defected to the South since the end of the Korean War in the 1950s. More people are attempting to flee the North due to the worsening economy.
Most people who flee the country typically cross a narrow river from a northeastern province into China, where they then seek passage to a third country for their asylum bid.
According to a U.N. special rapporteur, North Koreans who try to escape the communist state face harsher punishment than ever for trying to flee its borders.
[Vitit Muntarbhorn, U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights]: (English)
"Over the past year plus, I've noted stricter punishment against people leaving the country of origin and we note generally a decline of outflows from the country of origin into neighboring countries."
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have fled the state. Its already troubled economy has been made worse by years of Pyongyang's bungled policies and sanctions imposed by other countries.
[Vitit Muntarbhorn, U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights]: (English)
"The example of people trying to leave and being punished for trying to leave or sent back and being punished more severely, this is a very worrying state of affairs and that's gotten worse over the past couple of years."
Muntarbhorn is in the final year of his six-year mandate during which he has tried to enter North Korea for research but has been refused entry by its communist authorities.
More than 16,000 North Koreans have defected to the South since the end of the Korean War in the 1950s. More people are attempting to flee the North due to the worsening economy.
Most people who flee the country typically cross a narrow river from a northeastern province into China, where they then seek passage to a third country for their asylum bid.