Advertisement

Updated October 26th, 2021 at 20:09 IST

Canada launches pilot program to accept N. Korean refugees

Canada launches pilot program to accept N. Korean refugees

| Image:self
Advertisement

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Toronto-based human rights organization says it is launching a private sponsorship program to resettle North Korean refugees in Canada, which will become the third country after South Korea and the U.S. to accept North Koreans.

Sean Chung, executive director of HanVoice, said Tuesday the pilot program created in partnership with Canada’s government aims to bring five North Korean refugee families from Thailand to Canada within the next two years.

Advertisement

Thailand is a major transit country for North Korean refugees because it does not send them back to North Korea or China. China, North Korea’s main ally, has been frequently accused of cracking down on North Korean escapees and forcibly returning them despite the risk of torture and imprisonment.

Among the candidates in Thailand, Canada will prioritize the families of North Korean women who have survived or are at risk of sexual and gender-based violence, Chung said.

Advertisement

Canadians who volunteer as sponsors will be asked to support the families for 12 months or until they become self-sufficient. The sponsorship period could be extended to a maximum of 36 months in exceptional cases, HanVoice said in a statement.

The Canadian Embassy in Seoul didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Advertisement

“From putting up the money to sponsor the families, to picking them up at the airport, to helping register their children for school, the community will be involved every step of the way,” said Chung, who called the program “uniquely Canadian."

“For North Korean escapees, the majority of whom are women and who have undergone traumatic experiences in transit, this is a new safe pathway and a fresh new start."

Advertisement

Tens of thousands of North Koreans are believed to be living in hiding in China. About 34,000 other North Koreans have fled to South Korea, where they can receive citizenship and other benefits under a law that considers North Korea part of its territory.

The U.S. has admitted a much smaller number of North Korean refugees since the adoption of the North Korea Human Rights Act in 2004.

Advertisement

Chung said North Korean escapees have been unable to access Canada's refugee system, although some have migrated to Canada, Western Europe and Australia after initially settling in South Korea.

___

Advertisement

Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Published October 26th, 2021 at 20:09 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Kevin Pietersen
a few seconds ago
Lok Sabha Polls: Nakul Nath Declares Assets Worth Rs 700 Crore
4 minutes ago
BCAS started the continuous exercise of monitoring the time of arrival of baggage at belts of six major airports in January 2024.
5 minutes ago
Government Approves Major Bureaucratic Rejig with Key Appointments | LIVE
6 minutes ago
LSEG
10 minutes ago
CM Punk and Vince McMahon
13 minutes ago
File Photo of PM Narendra Modi
18 minutes ago
Bribery
22 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo