Northeast Asia's Pandora's Box: North Korean Escapees

Abstract

Abstract The issue of North Korean escapees is minor when juxtaposed against other serious problems such as nuclear or missile programs on the Korean Peninsula. However, what is at stake in the case of North Korean escapees is more than simply humanitarian considerations. The issue has a more complicated nature than what appears, since the escape cases involved many elements such as the role of the UN and NGOs, and regional politics regarding the ultimate survival of the Pyongyang regime, and the interests of countries concerned (China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, and Russia) in North Korea in particular and Northeast Asia policy in general. A series of recent escape cases planned by some radical NGOs have pushed the already fragile relations between the regional countries into a tenser situation. If handled badly, it may set off a chain of political and strategic ramifications. Once the regional countries recognize the potential consequences, it is likely that they would not choose the temporary solution of simply sending escapees to South Korea via a third country. On the contrary, neighboring countries should rather help toward alleviating North Korea's economic situation to reduce hunger and hence the incentive to flee. Thence, it is argued that this issue should be seen in the context of the entire North Korean problem, and not just as one of purely humanitarian aid. A political and diplomatic resolution at a multilateral and a bilateral level is now required among the countries concerned.