North Korean Refugees and Humanitarian Rescue Work

We addressed the problem of assisting, efficiently and securely, as many North Korean refugees as possible.

We expanded our links to cooperate with groups and individuals in Asia (South Korea, China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar); in North America (the United States); in Europe (Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Norway); and in Oceania (New Zealand).

Securing and building shelters

The arrest and forced repatriation of North Korean refugees in China, as well as the detention and arrest of humanitarian workers continue. The detention of the head of the JRL-01 shelter by the Chinese authorities so frightened the 16 children living in the shelter that they dropped out of the education sponsorship plan.

In addition, some doubt arose that the head of the YAN-02 shelter was properly carrying out assigned duties. When it was suggested that funding would be stopped, the children were all released from the shelter. However, one of those later managed to reach South Korea.

At another shelter, one of the foster children was arrested on the way home from school and forcibly repatriated.

In summary, 18 foster children left the program, and two graduated from LFNKR’s education sponsorship plan. Meanwhile, eight new children were registered, and LFNKR’s education sponsorship plan continues to provide assistance to 20 foster children.

We distributed 30 tons of rice-based foodstuffs within our shelters in China, and 10 tons of foodstuffs within North Korea. Based on the statistics for the January-March period, an average of 20 people per day (600 people per month) sought food assistance at our shelters. Based on a 500-gram daily ration of rice per adult, this comes to 30 tonnes, at a cost of 1.44 million yen (about $12,308).

In order for each person to purchase 10 kilograms of rice, we have budgeted 20 RMB per person, up to a limit of 20 people per day, for a daily total of 400 RMB (6000 yen or $51). This totals 180,000 yen per month, which is the limit of LFNKR’s resources.

LFNKR has provided its own Japanese-language classes to defectors; those who have completed the course have enrolled in a junior high school night program in order to receive a comprehensive education as well as to improve their Japanese.

To facilitate the resettlement of defectors, we have decided to formalize the education process, incorporating both Japanese-language courses, which serve as social education, and the formal education system.

With enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act (Japan) as a goal, we strengthened our ties with other NGOs concerned with human rights in North Korea.

The partnerships we forged with groups concerned with the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea broke new ground. These groups include the Society to Help Returnees to North Korea (HRNK), the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN), the Association of Families of Those Abducted by North Korea, the Investigative Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea, and the Association of Lawyers for the Protection of the Human Rights of Abductees to North Korea. Working together with these groups and cooperating on points of common concern contributed to the passing of the North Korean Human Rights Act in Japan.

International cooperation among those seeking to protect North Korean refugees and assist them in reaching a third country is vital. This year we also made progress in this area.

Korean-American pastor Phillip Jun Buck was released from prison and deported from China in August of this year.

However, Choi Yong-hun, who was involved in the 2003 Boat People incident, remains imprisoned even though he has already served more than two-thirds of his 5-year prison term. Increased cooperation is necessary to resolve this case.