2019 repatriation of North Koreans by South Korea
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On November 7, 2019, South Korea forcibly repatriated two North Korean fishermen suspected of killing 16 of their fellow fishermen.[1][2][3] The pair attempted to defect to South Korea after arriving in the south on November 2, 2019.[4] This was the first deportation of North Koreans by the South Korean Government since the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.[5][6]
Criticism
- According to the Constitution of South Korea, North Korean defectors also have South Korea nationality; therefore according to South Korean law, they should have the right to receive a fair trial.[7]
- The South Korean Government received criticism for the deportation due to the lack of supporting evidence, which was based on just three days of investigation.[8]
- The Minister of Unification (Kim Yeon-chul), Minister of National Defense (Jeong Kyeong-doo), and Director of National Intelligence Service (Suh Hoon) were charged with dereliction of duty, abuse of official authority, and aiding a murder by the prosecution on November 11, 2019 and later at the International Criminal Court.[9][10]
- The South Korean branch of Amnesty International announced that South Korean Government's deportation was in violation of international human rights norms on November 11, 2019.[11]
- Human Rights Watch announced that the South Korean Government's deportation was in disregard of International Prohibition Against Torture on November 12, 2019.[12]
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that South Korean Government's deportation was illegal under international law.[13]
Investigation
Prosecutor's investigation was launched in 2022.[14][15][16]