The Family of North Korean Trade Representative Official Detained Again by Russian Authorities
Last month, the family of a North Korean trade representative official who went missing in Vladivostok, Russia, and was suspected of escaping from North Korea, has been arrested and detained once again by Russian authorities, according to reports.
Radio Free Asia (RFA), in their report on the 19th, stated that Park’s wife, Kim, and their son, who were sent to Vladivostok by the North Korean Trade Representative, had been apprehended by Russian public security authorities and subsequently transferred to the North Korean embassy where they are currently being held captive.
Background
The North Korean Ministry of Trade executive’s family situation came to light when Russian public security authorities disclosed their names in the ‘missing person news’ publication in the Maritime Province of North Korea.
Kim and Park boarded a passenger plane from Krasnoyarsk in central Russia to Moscow on the 7th of last month. However, they were reportedly arrested by Russian public security authorities. Currently, they are being detained at the North Korean embassy in Moscow and are expected to be returned to North Korea in due course.
Previously, RFA had raised concerns about the disappearance of these North Korean individuals. Kim’s husband, who was working as a North Korean restaurant manager in Russia, had returned to Pyongyang in 2019 but could not travel back to Russia due to the COVID-19 border restrictions.
In October last year, a deputy manager of a restaurant affiliated with the Department of State Security sought asylum but was captured within two months. The mother and child were also implicated in the incident and were subsequently imprisoned at the North Korean consulate in Vladivostok, Russia.
Recent Escape Attempt
It is reported that Kim and her son tried to escape from North Korea on the 4th of last month, when they were allowed to go out once a week. RFA speculated that they may have taken this extreme step due to fears of being returned and facing execution if the North Korean borders were to reopen.
The Russian public security authorities went to great lengths to trace their whereabouts and even distributed leaflets. It was discovered that they had to request the return of a plane to Moscow, which had already taken off, in order to apprehend the family.
RFA quoted a local source saying, “These individuals relocated from Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk, a distant location, before boarding a plane to Moscow.”
Russian Cooperation with North Korea
Cho Han-beom, a researcher at the Institute for National Unification, highlighted the news on his YouTube channel ‘Daedonggang TV’ and expressed concern over the active cooperation between Russia and North Korea in human rights violations through the arrest and detention of North Korean defectors.
The family of a North Korean trade representative official who went missing in Vladivostok, Russia early last month and may have escaped from North Korea, has reportedly been arrested and detained again by Russian authorities.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 19th (local time) that Park’s wife, Kim, and son, Park, sent by the North Korean Trade Representative to Vladivostok, were arrested by Russian public security authorities and transferred to the North Korean embassy and imprisoned.
The family of an executive from the North Korean Ministry of Trade in Vladivostok, revealed by Russian public security authorities on the ‘missing person news’ sheet in the Maritime Province of North Korea. /Capture RFA
Kim and Park boarded a passenger plane bound for Moscow from Krasnoyarsk in central Russia on the 7th of last month, but were reportedly arrested by Russian public security authorities. Currently, it is reported that he will be detained in the North Korean embassy in Moscow, Russia, and will be returned to North Korea first.
Earlier, RFA raised the possibility of these North Korean mothers and fathers missing. Kim’s husband, who worked as a North Korean restaurant manager in Russia, went to Pyongyang in 2019, but could not return to Russia due to the border barrier due to Corona 19.
However, in October last year, a deputy manager of a restaurant attached to the Department of State Security sought asylum and was caught within two months, and the mother and child were involved, and were imprisoned in the North Korean consulate in Vladivostok, Russia.
It is reported that these mothers and children tried to escape from North Korea on the 4th of last month, when they were allowed to go out one day a week. RFA speculated that the reason for the escape attempt was that they were likely to be returned and executed if the North Korean border reopened.
When they disappear, the Russian public security authorities even distribute leaflets and actively inquire about their whereabouts. In particular, it was found that the Russian public security authorities had to return a plane to Moscow that had already taken off to arrest the mothers and fathers.
RFA quoted a local source as saying, “These mothers and fathers moved from Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk, far away, and got on a plane to Moscow.
Cho Han-beom, a researcher at the Institute for National Unification, reported the news on his YouTube channel ‘Daedonggang TV’ and noted, “The problem is that Russia and North Korea are actively cooperating with human rights violations by arresting and detaining North Korean defectors.”
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