Wife of Aid Worker Visits Husband in Chinese Prison
on Oct 21, 2003

Finally, a bit of good news

Choi Yong-hun’s wife was finally allowed to visit her husband in Yantai Prison

Thanks to your support, Kim Bong-sun, the wife of Choi Yong-hun, the Korean humanitarian aid worker still being detained in Yantai, China was finally allowed to visit her husband on Oct. 21. During the first visit she has been able to make since he was arrested on January 18, she was shocked when her husband failed to recognize her.

Here is the summary of her report:

“My husband and I were permitted to talk for 30 minutes at the prison, from 10:00 to 10:30 AM. He appeared to be in bad shape and asked, “Who are you?” He was in absolute despair, and expecting no visit from anyone, not even his wife.

"I told him that the delay of his second (final) verdict might be a good sign, but he felt the 5-year sentence would not be changed anyway.

"I asked the guards to allow me to give him medications and the doctor’s prescription from South Korea, together with some winter clothing, shoes and 1500RMB, but they rejected the prescribed medicines and the prescription, as I had expected. I did have a chance, however, to show him recent pictures of our daughters and the letters they had written to him. I asked the guards to hand my husband the four-leaf clover that our second daughter had found for her father, as well as a small cross we made signifying our prayers for his early release. Sadly, these items were all rejected.

"My husband said he was praying every day for his family, which is his greatest concern. I told him how grateful we have been for the continued support from the people abroad who are concerned about us. When I mentioned this, his face brightened a little.”

Meanwhile, LFNKR has sent a letter (quoted below) to President Hu Jintao, asking him to tell us exactly where the 31 missing North Korean refugees are now. Following our press conference on Oct. 8, the media officer of the Chinese Embassy in Japan officially announced that our report on the repatriated NK refugees, which was based upon reports by the repatriation survivors, was totally untrue. China claims that they are still interrogating those people and have not sent them back to North Korea.

Kenkichi Nakadaira
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees

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Oct. 17, 2003
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of People's Republic of China
c/o Mr. Wu Dawei
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Japan

Your Excellency,

This letter is to urge you to face the issue that will determine the reputation of your country in the international society with respect to whether China truly respects humanitarianism and human rights. The issue is the way your government treats the North Korean refugees who flee from their country into China in desperate need of food and freedom.

In January this year, North Korean refugees who were staying in China tried to escape by two boats from Yantai, Shandong Province, but they were arrested by the Chinese police. Those arrested totaled 62 people, including three returnees from Japan to North Korea.

Our detailed investigation has revealed that, of those 62 people: 31 were repatriated to North Korea; 4 escaped arrest and are hiding in China; the whereabouts of 8 are unknown; 9 successfully reached South Korea with the aid of NGOs; and the remaining 10 include humanitarian aid workers and a Korean journalist who are listed in the verdict issued on May 22.

The Chinese spokesman officially announced at a press conference on January 23 that China would not repatriate the detained North Korean people and would treat them humanely according to both domestic and international laws.

The truth, however, is different. China separated the arrested North Korean refugees into three batches, and secretly sent the first batch of 19 from Yantai to Dalian by boat during the night of January 24, then from Dalian to Dandong by bus. On January 25, these 19 people were handed over to the National Security Dept. of Sinuiju, North Korea.

The second batch was shipped back on January 27, and the third batch was returned on January 30.

The above facts were revealed during interviews with the following six people: Kim Kwang Myong (20), Yang Yong Ho (42) and Yang Gum Soon (15) who were in the first batch of 19 sent back to North Korea on Jan. 25. These three managed to re-escape into China where LFNKR and Durihana Mission helped them flee to a place of safety,

Kim Myong Chol (39) who managed to escape arrest; and Yun Dong Geum (51) and Bee Myong Ok (50) who are the son-in-law and the daughter of Kim Un Kum (72). We have confirmed that Kim Un Kum (72) was handed over to the National Security Dept. in Sinuiju, North Korean on January 25 and then transferred to Onsong detention center where she died from dehydration about 20 days later.

China has repatriated the North Korean refugees, knowing that they are sure to face severe punishment, including the possible death penalty, as stipulated by Article 47 of North Korean Criminal Law. China has obviously breached the Convention on Refugees, which it has signed, and is continuing its unforgivable violation of humanitarian principles and denial of human rights. The result is a great number of victims.

LFNKR revealed the facts on the Yantai boat-people incident at the Oct. 8 press conference held in Tokyo. In response to our press conference, the media officer of the Chinese Embassy in Japan announced to the media that our report issued the previous day in Tokyo was totally untrue and that China is still interrogating the prisoners and has not sent them back to North Korea.

If the Chinese government still insists that they have not sent these 31 people back to North Korea, where are they now? China is obliged to answer this simple question. If it does not, then the international community will have no alternative but to regard China as a liar. This would severely damage China’s reputation as a nation that respects humanitarian principles and human rights. That would be deeply regrettable.

Again, we ask you to tell the international community where the following 31 people are now:

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING LIST GIVES NAMES AND DETAILS

The names of the first two people on this list are among those appearing in the verdict issued on May 22.

1. Park Mi Ran (female)

2. Kim Kwang Ok (female)

3. Be Kwang Myong (male)
Date of Birth: Jan. 1, 1986
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Chong Jin Chong am 1-3
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

4. Pee Okk Ju (female)
Date of Birth: Feb. 11, 1988
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do
Note: Submitted the application for the refugee status

5. Sin Young Hee (female)
Date of Birth: Jul. 14, 1986
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Seppyor Gun An Won Li 39
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

6. Kim Un Kum (female)
Date of Birth: Jun. 25, 1931
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Myon Chon Kun
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

7. Kim Kum Ok (female)
Date of Birth: Mar. 28, 1960
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Nam Do Ham Hung Song Chon Kang Yok John Dong 15
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

8. Kim Hyang Hwa (female)
Date of Birth: Jul. 10, 1983
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Nam Do Ham Hung Song Chon Kang Yok John Dong 15
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

The names of the following nine people (9 to 17) are among those appearing in the verdict issued on May 22:

9. Kim Jong Chol (male, North Korean returnee from Japan)

10. Kim Chung Song (male)

11. Lee Jong Ok (female)

12. Han Chol (male; real name: Kim Sang Yung)

13. Park Ung Gul (male)

14. Bang Un Suk (female)

15. Park Hyok (male)

16. Park Hyang Mi (female)

17. Lee Kyong Su (male; real name: Jin Hyong Chol)

18. Kim Young Kwang (male; real name: Kim Kwang Myong)
Date of Birth: Feb. 24, 1983
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Mu San
Note: Witness interviewed by LFNKR

The three witnesses (Yang Yong Ho, Yang Gum Soon and Kim Kwang Myong) interviewed by LFNKR testified that the following 8 people (19 to 26) have been repatriated:

19. Ko Jong Mi (female)
Date of Birth: Sept. 23, 1960
Place of Birth: Japan Osaka Ikunoku Tennoji
Note: Asked LFNKR for protection and interviewed by LFNKR before the arrest

20. Lee Yu Son (female)
Date of Birth: Sept. 21, 1982
Place of Birth: DPRK Pyon an Puk Do Shin Ij YuCity Nam So dong
Note: Asked LFNKR for protection and interviewed by LFNKR before the arrest

21. Yang Yong Hon (male)
Date of Birth: Mar. 30, 1961
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Mu San gun
Note: Witness who survived the repatriation. Interviewed by LFNKR

22. Yang Gum Soon (female)
Date of Birth: Dec. 2, 1987
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Mu San gun
Note: Witness who survived the repatriation. Interviewed by LFNKR

The witnesses interviewed by LFNKR testified that they were with the following two people (23 and 24) when they were repatriated:

23. Chol Bom (male)

24. Park Il Nam (male)

25. Kim Son Hee (female)
Date of Birth: Sept. 1, 1961
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Chong Jin
Note: Mother of 4 and 5 above. Submitted an application for refugee status

26. Chu Hun Kuk (male)
Date of Birth: Dec. 29, 1956
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Kil Ju Gun Yong Buk Ku
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

27. Kim Yong Ho (male)
Date of Birth: Dec. 17, 1969
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Puk Do Fe Ryong Yok Chon Dong 6
Note: Submitted an application for refugee status

28. Park Ran Hee (female)
Date of Birth: Jan. 17, 1964
Place of Birth: DPRK Han Gyong Nam Do Ham Hung Yong Song Gu Yoku

The following three people (29 to 31) were repatriated by Chinese police before January 25, 2003:

29. Beg Yung Suk (female, 61)
Address: Han Gyong Nam Do Yong Kang Gun

30. Mun Hak Sung (male, 36)
Address: Han Gyong Nam Do Bo Un Gun

31. Lee Yung Okk (female, 26)
Address: Han Gyong Nam Do Yong Kang Gun

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Kenkichi Nakadaira
Representative
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
A-101, 2-2-8 Nishikata Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0024 Japan
Tel/Fax (81)03-3815-8127
nkkikin@hotmail.com