China Says Entering Embassies with Weaponry is Terrorist Act

It was reported on September 13 that regarding the recent increase in North Korean defectors entering Korean embassies in China with weaponry, the Chinese government has told its Korean counterpart that “such an act is as illegal as a terrorist act, so we will strictly respond to that.”

It was also known that the Chinese government is strongly requesting Korea to hand over the North Korean defector who entered with weaponry a consular office at the Korean Embassy in China on September 10 and another defector who entered with a fake grenade.

According to a government official, “China said, ‘What if a real terrorist intrudes disguising himself as a North Korean defector, then who will be responsible for that?’ And they are saying that they will punish North Korean defectors who carry weapons or commit a violent act while trying to enter embassies according to their criminal law.”

The related official told us, “Because of China’s strong attitude, we cannot guarantee the safety of North Korean defectors who are arrested by Chinese police while trying to enter offices with weaponry, or even the safety of the ones who make it into the office,” and added, “I know that we are having difficulties in negotiating with China.”

Some in the government claim that the principle of “North Korean defectors who enter Korean diplomatic residence abroad will be transported to Korea without any exception” is being threatened because the defectors are possessing weaponry and exerting violence, and that they have to devise some fundamental counter measure for this.

Secretary General Lee Hae-young of Friends of North Korean Defectors said in a telephone interview that “both the Chinese and the Korean governments should keep in mind that North Korean defectors who enter Korean embassies possessing weaponry or becoming violent are not trying to steal or rob anything, they are trying to find freedom.”

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com