중국내 탈북여성의 생존실태와 난민지위문제

Abstract

North Korea’s continuing economic woes, its deepening food shortage, and its attendant weakening of social control—particularly since the early 1990s—have all contributed to the growing number of North Koreans who are illegally residing or hiding out in China. There are no official figures on their number; however, they are estimated to range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Moreover, the majority of them are females. The reasons for a higher rate of female portion are not hard to fathom. In a traditional and patrimonial North Korean society it is the women’s job to find food. Additionally, the females who do not belong to a regular job are easier to take a long journey without being detected. In the long and arduous search for food in a foreign country the North Korean women are caught between the rock of arrests and the hard place of repatriation back to North Korea. Being deprived of the human dignity, they suffer from the daily violation of their basic human rights. Even worse, human trading, prostitution, violence, and begging are more common encounters. It is thus necessary and timely to take stock of the current state of the North Korean women in China, their human rights abuses, and any realistic measures to help protect them. In particular, this essay delves into the issue of the international refugee status which would basically ensure their legal rights. In addition, this study sheds some light on the current perceptions and policies on the subject by China, its neighboring countries, and the international community.