Mission life: THE KUKMIN DAILY

China Expels 60+ Koreans Including Missionaries Aiding North Korean Defectors

2017-01-31 17:28

*Border checkpoint at Dandong, China, for entry into Shineuiju, North Korea. Kukmin Daily DB.


It recently became known that more than 60 Koreans were expelled en masse by the Chinese authorities last month, including missionaries residing in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in northeastern Jilin Province, China.

According to reports on January 26 from church circles and the media, 60 plus Korean residents of Yanbian received notices from the Chinese authorities in the middle of last month ordering them to leave the country. Reportedly these persons, belonging mainly to the Presbyterian Church of Korea, Hapdong and Tonghap, have been working to protect North Korean defectors in China from exploitation by sex traffickers.

The Chinese government explained that the expulsion was “because these persons were engaged in missionary activities in violation of the law related to religion.” A missionary Kim, detained and then released, said, “On the surface, China is restricting illegal mission activities, but they are also tracing bank accounts and investigating whether or not people helped North Korean defectors residing in China.”

Along with this news, it was reported that missionaries working in Changchun, Shenyang and other parts of China also are preparing to face possible restrictions, with some returning to Korea temporarily, and others discarding related materials. According to analysis by mission specialists, this unusual, sweeping control operation is probably another dimension of China’s pressure against installation of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in Korea.

Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)


Original Article in Korean:
中, 탈북 주민 돕는 선교사 등 한국인 60여명 추방: 교계 "사드 배치에 대한 압박 차원일 것"

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