SEOUL: South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak urged China on Wednesday to handle fugitives from North Korea under international norms, adding to growing pressure on Beijing not to repatriate them.
"When it comes to the North Korean defectors, it is right for the Chinese government to handle them in line with international rules as long as they are not criminals," Lee told a press conference in his first comment on the issue.
Seoul's foreign ministry, legislators and activists are urging Beijing not to send a group of recently arrested fugitives from the North back to their homeland.
Activists say returnees face severe punishment or even the death sentence.
China Tuesday reiterated its stance that the fugitives from the North are illegal economic migrants. Rights groups insist they are refugees deserving protection.
"The relevant people entered China illegally due to economic reasons. They are illegal border crossers, they are not within the category of refugees," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
"This issue does not fall under the relevant UN mechanism." South Korea has said it will seek UN support to try to prevent those recently detained from being sent back.
Activists and lawmakers in Seoul say around 30 North Koreans will be repatriated. The South's foreign ministry has only confirmed that 10 are in danger of being returned.
More than 21,700 North Koreans have fled to the South since the 1950-1953 war, the vast majority in recent years.
They typically escape on foot to China, hide out and then travel to a third country to seek resettlement in the South.
A separate group of 11 North Korean refugees has been trapped in South Korean consulates in Beijing and Shenyang for almost three years because China refuses to let them leave for the South.
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