International lawyers' groups urge Seoul to repatriate North Korean waitresses

A group of 13 North Koreans who worked at a restaurant in China before coming to South Korea in April 2016 / Korea Times file

By Kang Seung-woo

Two international lawyers groups have called for the repatriation of 12 North Koreans who came to South Korea in 2016, accusing the government of conspiring to abduct them from China.

A joint fact-finding committee of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and the Confederation of Lawyers for Asia and the Pacific released its final report Monday on the mass defection, in which it alleges their arrival here was actually an abduction.

In April 2016, 12 North Korean waitresses and a male manager who worked at a restaurant operated by the North Korean regime in China arrived in the South, something the then Park Geun-hye administration disclosed to the public in contrast to usual procedures.

However, given that the incident came to light just five days ahead of the general election, speculation arose that the government was attempting to sway voters.

"The South Korean government, the concerned ministries, officials and agencies shall take immediate measures to reunite the 12 abducted young women with their families and to expeditiously repatriate them to Pyongyang," the English report said, adding that those who were involved in the matter should face a trial.

"The South Korean government under the facts and circumstances of this case is required to pay reparation, and financially compensate the 12 young women and their families for the crime committed; the trauma, fear and anguish caused by their abduction and their unjustified separation from their families, society and country; and for the complete disruption of their lives and denial of gainful and honest livelihood."

At the time of the incident, the North strongly criticized the South, stating its citizens did not willing go to Seoul but were deceived and then. In response, the government said they had collectively and "politically" defected to the South.

The lawyers' formed the committee to investigate the case last year, and the investigation was carried out from Aug. 25 to 30 this year ― committee members also visited Pyongyang after finishing their probe here. Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a group of "progressive" South Korean lawyers, assisted the committee.

The report also said that if the North Koreans wanted to return to the South ― for personal or education reasons ― after reuniting with their families, both governments should respect their wishes.

The report will be submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The conclusion by the committee was completely different from that by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea last month, which conducted a year-long investigation into the case and concluded there was no evidence to suggest the government intervened in the defection.

However, it did say the disclosure of their arrival was illegal, and filed a complaint with the prosecution calling for an investigation of officials related to this action.