[LETTERS to the editor]The plight of women defectors
Published: 03 Nov. 2005, 21:56
The situation of North Korean defectors to South Korea is worse than we can imagine. Due to the long economic depression of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the number of defectors has increased steadily over the past few years. Among the defectors, the difficulties of women are more severe and we need to take action to change this.
A few months ago, I saw a video clip of an interview about a woman who escaped from the DPRK. According to her statement, 80-90 percent of women defectors are living in China with Chinese men. She said that when women defectors try to cross the Tumen River into China, sometimes there is a car waiting for them. The driver of this car kidnaps these women defectors and sells them to Chinese widowers. This happens frequently. Moreover, the new husbands, in name only, often use force on the women defectors. Even so, they cannot call the police because their stay in China is illegal. So for most, it is better to stay with an abusive husband than to go to the police.
by Baek Ga-yoon
A few months ago, I saw a video clip of an interview about a woman who escaped from the DPRK. According to her statement, 80-90 percent of women defectors are living in China with Chinese men. She said that when women defectors try to cross the Tumen River into China, sometimes there is a car waiting for them. The driver of this car kidnaps these women defectors and sells them to Chinese widowers. This happens frequently. Moreover, the new husbands, in name only, often use force on the women defectors. Even so, they cannot call the police because their stay in China is illegal. So for most, it is better to stay with an abusive husband than to go to the police.
by Baek Ga-yoon
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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