Hunger driving NKorea refugees, world must open doors: report

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2006

SEOUL (AFP) — Hunger is driving increasing numbers of North Koreans to risk their lives fleeing over the border in a humanitarian tragedy overshadowed by the nuclear crisis, a leading think-tank said. In a report, the International Crisis Group urged China to halt its policy of repatriating the refugees back to face persecution and risk of execution, and called on the outside world to open its doors too.

The Brussels-based group said the numbers fleeing the Stalinist state were likely to grow amid threats of a new famine, and "humanity demands" a proper global response. It said the "humanitarian challenge ... is playing out almost invisibly as the world focuses on North Korea's nuclear programme." While scores of thousands had fled hardships in search of a better life, only...