COVID-19 has paradoxically benefited North Korean refugees in China. For many years, they have been in a desperate situation. On the one hand, they have fled arguably the world's most oppressive dictatorship, where putting food on the table is a daily challenge and the slightest deviation can send not only the "culprit" but their entire family to jail. On the other hand, China does not grant North Koreans asylum, but sends them back to North Korea, where they risk torture and imprisonment because they escaped.
But these days, North Korean refugees in China are not at risk of being sent to prison in their home country in the same way as before. The Chinese authorities are busy fighting COVID-19, and North Korean refugees are flying under the authorities' radar. This gives the Danish European Mission's partner a unique opportunity to help many North Korean refugees move on to safe third countries.
This window of opportunity, paradoxically created by a virus, is unique and is an opportunity for many people who can avoid prison.
Our partner says: "We want to do everything we can. The Chinese authorities are distracted by the country's health and economic challenges and are therefore not spending as much effort as before to catch illegal North Koreans."
There are thousands of testimonies of severe torture in North Korean prisons. There are examples of the authorities forcibly aborting pregnant children in prisons. It is horrific to think about. It is incomprehensible that a regime can be so cruel to its own citizens - just so the Kim family can maintain its grip on power and force the population to worship them as gods.
In this situation, brave Christians in China - with the support of Danish European Mission donors - are stepping up to help the vulnerable North Koreans. The North Korean refugees are helped to survive, get to safety, and escape to a safe country in Southeast Asia that will not send them back to North Korea.
The brave local Christians who are reaching out and helping North Korean refugees risk imprisonment in China for their work. But they continue undaunted - and we can support them in this hotspot, helping the very vulnerable and at-risk North Koreans to reach safe countries.
Thank you for extending a helping hand to North Korean refugees. Thank you for giving them safety in China and helping them get to safe countries in Southeast Asia. Thank you for helping brave local Christians do this important work.
