Daily NK has learned that the 16 North Koreans from North Hamgyung Province, who defected at the beginning of this month, have arrived safely in Thailand. The defection, coined the “three-family defection” was first covered by Daily NK on August 9th.
A source in North Hamgyung Province reported on August 21st, “I received confirmation from a source in China who helped them along the way, that the group has arrived in Thailand. After an initial few days in China, they quickly moved on to a bordering country.”
The recent inminban[people's unit] have been replete with warnings and threats to deter those interested in following the "three-family defection.
“Despite stringent measures and threats by the authorities to prevent defections, they failed to stop the infinite line of people desperate to escape. Now they’ve started expanding surveillance posts to try to tighten up the border,” he explained. “It’s going to get even harder for people trying to get out.”
SOURCE: THE DAILY NK
