Published on: 2026-10-21
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 21, 2026 Human Rights
Three years after reports of the resumption of mass forced repatriation of citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from China, serious concerns remain about the future fate of the returned people. This was stated by UN experts on Wednesday.
“These events are part of a long-standing practice of serious human rights violations against individuals forcibly returned to the DPRK. In the absence of independent monitoring in both countries, the fate of many repatriated persons remains unknown,” experts noted.
They added that while the fate and whereabouts of these people remain unknown, they are deprived of protection against arbitrary detention, executions, torture, forced labor, sexual and gender-based violence.
According to reports, some women who left North Korea became victims of human trafficking, forced marriages, and sexual exploitation. Among them is Kim Chol Ok, who, according to available data, fled North Korea during the famine of the 1990s and ended up in China as a child.
At the age of 14, Kim Chol Ok was forcibly married off. It is reported that she was subjected to sexual violence and was forced to carry a child against her will. Despite living in China for about 25 years and starting a family there, she faced persecution and restrictions due to the lack of legal status.
In April 2023, Chinese authorities detained Kim Chol and denied her access to legal assistance, and in October of the same year forcibly returned her to North Korea. Since then, her fate and whereabouts have remained unknown. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that her detention both in China and in North Korea was arbitrary.
After the resumption of mass returns of DPRK citizens in 2023, reports began to emerge about serious human rights violations against repatriated individuals, especially those whom the authorities consider to have attempted to seek asylum abroad or left the country without permission.
“A person’s illegal migration status does not exempt states from the obligation to comply with the principle of non-refoulement,” experts stated. “There is abundant evidence that citizens of the DPRK who have left the country without permission or sought protection abroad may face severe punishments upon return. Therefore, reports of mass repatriation of North Koreans, occurring despite well-documented risks, raise the question of whether their need for international protection was properly assessed prior to deportation.”
Experts urged Chinese authorities to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, refrain from returning North Korean citizens to their homeland, and ensure access to fair and effective procedures for considering their international protection requests.
They also appealed to the authorities of the DPRK to disclose information about the fate and whereabouts of the returned citizens and to guarantee their safety and protection.
Independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. Experts act in a personal capacity and independently from governments and any organizations.
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