‘I can’t lose her too’: Family fears for loved one forcibly sent to North Korea



Features ‘I can’t lose her too’: Family fears for loved one forcibly sent to North Korea Kim Cheol-ok was repatriated after 25 years in China. Now her family is looking for answers about her fate. Ifang Bremer \| Joon Ha Park October 31, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Cheol-ok in a recent photo \| Image: Kim Kyuli, edited by NK News For months, the crisis surrounding China’s looming forced repatriation of North Korean defectors has proceeded like a slow-motion train wreck. Human rights activists have warned that China has detained thousands of DPRK citizens and the U.N. and South Korean government have called on Beijing to refrain from sending them back to face likely torture and interrogation. But the news that China repatriated Kim Cheol-ok earlier this month has hit her family like a locomotive at full speed. For months, the crisis surrounding China’s looming forced repatriation of North Korean defectors has proceeded like a slow-motion train wreck. Human rights activists have warned that China has detained thousands of DPRK citizens and the U.N. and South Korean government have called on Beijing to refrain from sending them back to face likely torture and interrogation. But the news that China repatriated Kim Cheol-ok earlier this month has hit her family like a locomotive at full speed. Try unlimited access Only $1 for four weeks Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

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‘I can’t lose her too’: Family fears for loved one forcibly sent to North Korea

Kim Cheol-ok was repatriated after 25 years in China. Now her family is looking for answers about her fate.

Ifang Bremer | Joon Ha Park October 31, 2023

‘I can’t lose her too’: Family fears for loved one forcibly sent to North Korea

Kim Cheol-ok in a recent photo | Image: Kim Kyuli, edited by NK News

For months, the crisis surrounding China’s looming forced repatriation of North Korean defectors has proceeded like a slow-motion train wreck. Human rights activists have warned that China has detained thousands of DPRK citizens and the U.N. and South Korean government have called on Beijing to refrain from sending them back to face likely torture and interrogation.

But the news that China repatriated Kim Cheol-ok earlier this month has hit her family like a locomotive at full speed.

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‘I can’t lose her too’: Family fears for loved one forcibly sent to North Korea

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