Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10299):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Republic of Korea about reports that an estimated 2,000 North Korean refugees will be forcibly repatriated to North Korea by the People’s Republic of China; and whether they intend to take joint action with the Republic of Korea on behalf of these refugees. (HL10299)
Tabled on: 19 September 2023
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
As the UK and partners regularly make clear, we call on states not to forcibly repatriate refugees to countries where they could face further human rights abuses. At the 17 August UN Security Council meeting on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the UK called on all states to abide by the principle of non-refoulement. The UK continues to engage with allies including the Republic of Korea (ROK) to hold the DPRK to account for its egregious human rights record.
Date and time of answer: 03 Oct 2023 at 16:06.
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Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10300):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they intend to raise reports that an estimated 2,000 North Korean refugees will be forcibly repatriated to North Korea by the People’s Republic of China (1) with the People’s Republic of China, and (2) in the United Nations Human Rights Council; and whether they will remind the People’s Republic of China of its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention. (HL10300)
Tabled on: 19 September 2023
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
We are aware of reports of North Korean escapees detained in China. The UK actively promotes the implementation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. We emphasise directly to the Chinese authorities that they should not be detaining North Korean refugees with the intention of returning them to North Korea. At the 17 August UN Security Council meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK, the UK called on all states to abide by the principle of non-refoulement
Date and time of answer: 03 Oct 2023 at 16:01.
