hankyoreh

The North Korean restaurant in Xi‘an

The South Korean government confirmed reports on May 24 that staff at a North Korean restaurant in China hoped to leave for South Korea in the wake of another group defection last month.

Speaking at a regular briefing that afternoon, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Cho Joon-hyun confirmed it was “true that staff have a left a North Korean overseas restaurant.”

“It is the [South Korean] government‘s position that according to practice [in dealing with defector issues], specifics cannot be shared in light of concerns regarding the defectors’ safety and diplomatic relations with other countries,” Cho added.

An official at the Ministry of Unification also confirmed that the staff had defected, but added that “their current situation [since leaving their workplace] cannot be confirmed.”

While Seoul avoided giving specific confirmation, the staff in question are reportedly two women in their mid- to late twenties. Sources said their direct motive in defecting was more closely related to their personal circumstances than to political, diplomatic, or economic issues.

A South Korean government source noted that defectors “are typically assisted by brokers.”

“This case was an example of that,” the source added, suggesting that the defection was not an orchestrated operation with political associations.

Some have suggested their former workplace may be a North Korean restaurant located in or around Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi Province.

Meanwhile, the unification committee of the group MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed a request with Seoul Central District Court on May 24 demanding relief measures in accordance with the Habeas Corpus Act for 12 female former staff from another North Korean restaurant in China who are currently undergoing questioning at a National Intelligence Service North Korean defectors protection center (formerly a joint interrogation center) for North Korean defectors. If the court grants the request, MINBYUN attorneys will be able to meet with the former staff.

On May 16 MINBYUN requested on that the NIS allow its attorneys to meet with the employees to dispel concerns that their defection may have been “orchestrated” and ensure that their human rights were protected. After that request was refused, family members in North Korea sent documents granting MINBYUN power of attorney, the group said.

According to MINBYUN, Jeong Gi-yeol, visiting professor at the Tsinghua University journalism graduate school in China, forwarded MINBYUN an email from the family members with a brief self-introduction, the power of attorney documents and videos of them drafting the documents.

By Kim Jin-cheol and Lee Je-hun, staff reporters

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