A Resolution passed by the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea has expressed grave concern about the fate of North Korean refugees forcibly returned to the DRPK and has urged an end to China’s forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees to North Korea

Dec 3, 2023 | News

Resolution urging an end to China’s forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees to North Korea

중국의 북한이탈주민 강제북송 중단 촉구 결의

The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea expresses its grave concern at the situation whereby it appears that about 2,000 North Korean escapees who had fled to China because of the suppression of freedom, political persecution and hunger in North Korea have been arrested and detained in China, it has been reported that many North Korean escapees have been forcibly repatriated to North Korea by the Chinese government upon the recent opening-up of the Sino-North Korean border and are at risk of additional forcible repatriation to North Korea.

대한민국 국회는 북한에서 자유의 억압과 정치적 탄압 그리고 굶주림으로 인해 중국으로 탈출한 북한이탈주민 2천여 명이 중국에서 체포되어 구금된 것으로 보이며, 최근 중북국경이 개방되면서 중국정부에 의해 다수의 북한이탈주민이 북한으로 강제송환 되었다는 보도가 있었으며, 추가로 강제북송될 위기에 처해 있다고 알려진 상황에 깊은 우려를 표명한다.

It must be noted that the North Korean escapees have the right to be protected as nationals of the Republic of Korea in accordance with provisions of the Constitution and law of the Republic of Korea as well as the right to be protected by international norms from the perspective of human rights protection and humanitarianism, which are universal values of humanity, and a report released by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (COI) in 2014 emphasized that North Korean escapees must be recognized as refugees and entitled to international protection.

북한이탈주민은 대한민국 헌법과 법률이 정하는 바에 따라 대한민국 국민으로서 보호를 받을 권리가 있고 인류 보편적 가치인 인권보호와 인도주의적 관점에서 국제규범에 따른 보호를 받을 권리가 있으며, 유엔 북한인권조사위원회(COI)가 2014년 발표한 보고서에 중국으로 탈출한 북한이탈주민은 난민으로 인정받아야 하고 국제적 보호를 받을 자격이 주어져야 한다고 강조한 것을 주목해야 한다.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea condemns China, which not only bears a grave responsibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and of the United Nations Human Rights Council to take the lead in the promotion of international human rights but has the obligation under the provisions of international human rights treaties as a state party to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention against Torture, for its failure to implement the refugee status determination process for North Korean escapees who, along with discriminatory measures, are arrested, detained and forcibly repatriated to North Korea.

대한민국 국회는 중국정부가 유엔안전보장이사회의 상임이사국이자 유엔인권이사회의 이사국으로서 국제적인 인권 향상에 앞장서야 할 막중한 책임이 있을 뿐만 아니라, 난민지위협약 및 고문방지협약 당사국으로서 국제인권조약 상의 규정을 준수할 의무가 있으나, 북한이탈주민에 대한 난민인정절차를 시행하지 않고 차별적 조치와 함께 체포, 구금, 강제북송하는 것을 규탄한다.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, as the forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees may result in the occurrence of mass human rights persecution, calls for a resolute response by the government of the Republic of Korea for the human rights protection and safety of North Korean escapees and resolves as follows:

대한민국 국회는 북한이탈주민의 강제북송이 이루어질 경우 대규모 인권탄압 사례가 발생할 수 있으므로 북한이탈주민의 인권 보호와 안전을 위해 대한민국 정부의 단호한 대응을 요구하면서 다음과 같이 결의한다.


1. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea strongly urges the Chinese government to immediately end the forcible repatriation to North Korea as it has the responsibility to respect the obligations arising from being a state party to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention against Torture, taking into consideration the physical or mental pain and disadvantage in status suffered by North Korean escapees in case of forcible repatriation.

1. 대한민국 국회는 중국 정부가 「난민지위에 관한 협약」, 「고문방지협약」의 체약국으로서 발생되는 의무를 준수할 책임이 있으므로 북한이탈주민이 강제북송될 경우 받게 될 신체적, 정신적 고통 및 신분상의 불이익을 고려하여 강제북송을 즉각 중단할 것을 강력히 촉구한다.

2. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea urges the Chinese government to recognize North Korean escapees as refugees or refugees sur place and thereby protect them, and cooperate to the greatest extent possible if they wish to move to the Republic of Korea or a third state.

2. 대한민국 국회는 중국 정부가 북한이탈주민을 난민 또는 현장난민(refugee sur place)으로 인정하여 이들을 보호하고 북한이탈주민이 대한민국 또는 제3국으로의 이동을 원할 경우 최대한 협조해 줄 것을 촉구한다.

3. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea urges international organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to make active efforts vis-a-vis the Chinese government to respect the principle of non-refoulement and thereby not to forcibly repatriate North Korean escapees while at the same time strengthening sincere and active efforts for the protection of human rights and safety of North Korean escapees.

3. 대한민국 국회는 유엔난민기구(UNHCR) 등 국제기구가 중국 정부에 강제송환금지 원칙을 준수하여 북한이탈주민이 강제북송 되지 않도록 적극적으로 노력하는 동시에 북한이탈주민의 인권보호와 안전을 위해 성실하고 적극적인 노력을 강화할 것을 촉구한다.

4. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea urges the government of the Republic of Korea to make all diplomatic efforts, including strengthening negotiations and cooperation with relevant states such as China, international organizations and the international community, on the issue of the forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees with the attitude of fulfilling its responsibility to protect North Koreans escapees who are nationals of the Republic of Korea in accordance with the Constitution.

4. 대한민국 국회는 대한민국 정부가 헌법에 따라 대한민국 국민인 북한이탈주민을 보호할 책무를 다한다는 자세로 북한이탈주민의 강제북송 문제에 대해 중국 등 유관국과 국제기구 및 국제사회를 대상으로 교섭과 협력을 강화하는 등 모든 외교적 노력을 다할 것을 촉구한다.

5. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea urges the legislative organ of each relevant state, including China, where North Korean escapees are being forcibly repatriated to North Korea, to do its part to ensure that the executive branch complies with various international human rights treaties including the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention against Torture.

5. 대한민국 국회는 북한이탈주민의 강제북송이 일어나고 있는 중국 등 각 유관국의 입법기관들이 자국 행정부가 「난민지위에 관한 협약」, 「고문방지협약」등의 여러 국제 인권 조약들을 준수하도록 그 역할을 다할 것을 촉구한다.

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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