• Nacktmull@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    Why are they seen as traitors for moving to a country that is one of North Koreas closest allies? They did not even leave the socialist sphere. Can someone with more insight please elaborate?

    • DefiantBidet@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      You think north Koreans have rights? The ability to move implies independence. You think people living in one of the poorest dictatorships in the world have independence and rights?

      Contribute to the state or die - that us all north Koreans have.

      Fleeing, not moving, fleeing is a crime. You’re abandoning the mother country and your relatives still living there will pay for your crimes. That’s the government’s stance on “moving”

      • Nacktmull@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        Then I really don´t get why they did not choose to flee to a western country that does not extradite to North Korea …

        • httpjames@sh.itjust.works
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          11 months ago

          Usually the plan is to go to China and then flee to a friendlier country. There are also people in China who work with North Koreans to help them defect.

        • TheBlue22@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          11 months ago

          They don’t usually have a choice. Other borders are much more well defended, for the reason that China will deport any Nk refugees they find.

        • DefiantBidet@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          bc its not easy or cheap or feasible to a lot of people:

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbXxR73QDY0

          or if you prefer a bbc link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q42kRVCCkcQ

          edit 2 : if i recall a vid i watched long ago - the closest “western” country that won’t send them back is either Cambodia or Laos - which means they have to travel the entirety of China - a country that loves to send them back - to get to that country. not easy as china is huge.

          • Nacktmull@lemm.ee
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            11 months ago

            the closest “western” country that won’t send them back is either Cambodia or Laos

            I thought that would be South Korea but of course I am aware there is one hell of a border in between. Maybe Japan by boat would be more realistic? I just hate that in general people are not free to go where they want in this world. National states are a terrible structure.