Chinese authorities move to arrest North Koreans overstaying their visas
North Koreans who overstay their visas while visiting relatives in China became targets for arrest by the Chinese authorities one month prior to Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea, according to sources in the region.
“The Chinese authorities began arresting North Koreans on family visit visas from mid-May,” a source in China close to North Korean affairs told Daily NK. “The North Korean authorities sent over a list of names for the Chinese authorities to locate and arrest.”
North Koreans who visit China on family visitation visas routinely return to North Korea after their visas have already expired. Most visas last for around 60 days, but because many visa holders do not return home, the situation has become a major headache for the North Korean authorities.
Their refusal to return is closely linked with North Korea’s chronic economic difficulties. North Koreans are faced with severe economic problems and many travel to China to obtain money from their relatives there. If they are unable to obtain the money they require, many end up staying long after their visa has expired. .......
[Source: Daily NK]
