[USFK Forums] Beijing Ignores Seoul to Repatriate N. Korean [Korea Times]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Beijing Ignores Seoul to Repatriate N. Korean

The Korea Times, Tuesday, March 21, 2006By Park Song-wu, Staff Reporter

China notified South Korea of its repatriation of a North Korean refugee more than one month after the female asylum-seeker was put in harm's way, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Tuesday.

The ministry is expected to face strong criticism for its failure in bringing her to Seoul. A South Korean official, however, underlined that the government ``left no stone unturned.''

China's Foreign Ministry informed the South Korean Embassy in Beijing on Monday that it sent back Lee Chun-sil, the refugee, to North Korea on Feb. 15, the official told reporters in Seoul on condition of anonymity.

Lee, 36, was caught by Chinese police on Dec. 2 in front of a Korean school in Beijing where she repeatedly pleaded to enter.

``The Beijing government told us that it had to abide by laws because she was caught by police at a place where the inviolable right is not recognized,'' the Seoul official said. ``In addition, the police captured her outside the school, not inside.''

The inviolable right is applied to diplomatic facilities. But Beijing used to send North Koreans to South Korea via third countries, if they successfully obtain refugee in international schools in China.

One exception was made in October when China repatriated seven North Koreans who sneaked into a Korean school in Yantai on Aug. 29 but were caught by Chinese police before the arrival of South Korean diplomats.

After Lee was arrested, South Korea asked for China's leniency and her safe travel to Seoul ``not once but seven times,'' the Seoul official said.

``We expressed our disappointment in China for its neglect of our repeated requests and its late notice of the repatriation,'' he said. ``We strongly demanded China prevent the recurrence of such case.''

Lee reportedly crossed the North Korean border to China in May 2004 after her husband died of hunger.

She first tried to seek asylum at a Korean school in Dalian on Nov. 30 with the help of a relative _ also a North Korean who had settled in South Korea. However, they were driven away and then went to Beijing to find another opportunity, the official said.

Three days later, the two women found the school in Beijing where they could enter successfully by disguising themselves as parents with queries for their children's admission.

At that time, Lee did not identify herself as a North Korean and simply walked out of the school after being told that it was not the season to register new students.

It was not known why she did not attempt to explain her situation more proactively, the official said.

Hours later, she tried to enter the school again by repeating the same query to a gatekeeper. Instead of letting her pass the gate, he called the Chinese police.


im@koreatimes.co.kr

03-21-2006 21:15