Detention facilities in Dandong are “full” of defectors
Detention facilities for North Korean defectors caught in China are reportedly at full capacity. According to a source, arrests of North Korean defectors have increased as more North Koreans cross the border due to economic difficulties at home. However, North Korean authorities have refused to abide by China’s request to extradite the defectors to their home country in the name of COVID-19 prevention.
“[The Chinese police] have been arresting more and more defectors in China since the beginning of last year, so the detention facilities in Dandong are full,” the source said. “An unusually high number of North Koreans crossed the border into China last year and at the beginning of this year.”
The North Korean authorities recently installed surveillance cameras and electric fences along the border to prevent defections. As COVID-19 continued to spread, the authorities also instructed border guards to open fire on anyone who enters the border area without permission.
Despite the increasingly strict border control, North Koreans have continued to put their lives on the line by crossing into China. The North Koreans likely became motivated to risk their lives and cross the border after encountering severe economic difficulties caused by the pandemic. ......
[Source: Daily NK]
