Ms LEE presented that although there are guards stationed in the border line between China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), many can cross it by bribing the guards or by eluding vigilance. The Chinese government does not recognise these defectors as refugees minding the political relation with DPRK. In accordance with an agreement with North Korea, defectors are treated as illegal immigrants and repatriated to North Korea upon being detected. Because of this, defectors in China live in hiding. Once detected, they are sent back to North Korea, subjecting to forced labour or though-remolding for a first offender or even to death sentence for a second offender. Some of those who have been successful to sneak into China would ask assistance of support from Korea or run into foreign embassies or schools for help. Most of them seek refuge in South Korea afterward. Some would defect through Mongolia, however, because of the efforts by Chinese officials in the border area these days, growing number of people do not stay in China long but merely pass the land instead for defecting into a third country through Southeast Asian countries.