Refugee Disaster Imminent
A combination of winter and food shortage will exacerbate the refugee situation, according to the International Crisis Group. Here are some recent figures
The number of North Koreans hiding in China, hoping to settle down there or move to another country, can only be guessed.
Refugee groups cited by the ICG estimated their number reached 100,000 or more in the 1990s, when famine and relatively lax border controls opened cracks in North Korea’s rigid system.
Since then, the flow of “border crossers” along northeast China’s frontier with North Korea seems to have fallen. There are now probably tens of thousands, some marrying locals, and all prey to regular hunts, fines and repatriation by border police, the ICG said.
China repatriates between 150 and 300 North Koreans every week, it added.
About 9,000 refugees from the North have made it to South Korea, usually first travelling from China to Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand or other Asian stepping stones, the report said.
These figure show that it remains difficult to escape from China but a lot easier to get caught and repatriated. With the threat of another nuclear test, it is unknown how China and other countries will act this winter.
Update: Ah yes, the actual report. Right here.
