If you are a North Korean citizen who illegally flees to a neighboring country, which country would you get deported to? Here is a handy guide.
If you magically deport directly to South Korea, you will be automatically granted citizenship - well you already are a citizen acc. to South Korea which claims the entire peninsula as its own.
The Ministry of Unification will also reward you and help you resettle.
The Ministry of Unification will also reward you and help you resettle.
But the NK-SK border being heavily militarized, the option is not very feasible. You thus will have to try other countries as layovers.
China seems like a good option considering the long border but it's also NK's close friend. China deports all NK defectors back to NK.
China seems like a good option considering the long border but it's also NK's close friend. China deports all NK defectors back to NK.
You could still get to South Korea via China if you land yourself in the South Korean consulate in Shenyang but China recently has increased its security around all SK embassies and consulates.
Russia, with which NK shares a 17km border is also a bad option. In 2014, Russia and North Korea drafted an agreement to deport illegal immigrants found to be living in either country. It is also easier to stand out as a foreigner in Russia than compared to China.
The options remaining are routes via sea that can be taken through boats or other creative measures.
Japan is a good option as it has facilitated NK citizens to move to SK in the past but you will have to cross the Japan Sea that has often typhoons and disturbance.
Japan is a good option as it has facilitated NK citizens to move to SK in the past but you will have to cross the Japan Sea that has often typhoons and disturbance.
Mongolia maintains good relations with both NK and SK but is sympathetic to the NK plight. It sends all NK defectors back to South Korea.
A bit far - Vietnam, Laos & Myanmar have good relations with China and NK and are more likely to return NK defectors back to NK. Cambodia is also NK's ally but there are reports to show that it has, in the past, helped defectors escape to SK. So it's complicated.
Malaysia has been NK's ally but their relations were severed after NK found out that Malaysia helped send an NK citizen to the United States.
Taiwan distances itself from both China and North Korea and has facilitated the transit of defectors to South Krea.
Taiwan distances itself from both China and North Korea and has facilitated the transit of defectors to South Krea.
Thailand on paper treats all NK defectors as illegal immigrants, but they are not punished and instead deported to South Korea instead of back to North Korea. The Phillippines also has worked with the South Korean government to facilitate the defectors' journey to the South.
It is fascinating how the land that was one country for so long with the same language has now evolved to such contrasting nations. Probably no political border on earth has an as clear demarcation in terms of economy, politics, geography, and lifestyle as the NK-SK border does.
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