North Korea has executed two women who had been forcibly repatriated from China for helping other North Koreans in China escape to South Korea, a human rights organisation told Radio Free Asia.
Charged with human trafficking, a 39-year-old woman surnamed Ri, and a 43-year-old surnamed Kang were executed on Aug 31 after a public trial in the northeastern port city of Chongjin, according to Jang Se-yul, head of Gyeore’eol Unification Solidarity, based in Seoul.
Nine other women were sentenced to life in prison on the same charges.
All 11 women were among a group of around 500 North Koreans which China forcibly repatriated in October 2023.
“These two women were executed because they had sent North Korean escapees from China to their enemy country, South Korea,” Jang told RFA Korean.
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