Peter Jung

By Kim Young-jin

Depravation, intimidation and no access to law or counsel: Beginning to sound like North Korea’s notorious prison system?

In fact, these are the conditions that often await human rights workers across the border in China if caught helping those from the Stalinist state escape to freedom, activists say.

“Every day they forced me to sit still for seven hours without moving,” said Peter Jung, a South Korean pastor who says he was detained for 18 months at a Jilin Province detention center in 2005. “They did not let me go outside for exercise or light. My life was like that of an animal.”

China’s detention practices are in the spotlight after Seoul confirmed this week that four South Koreans have been detained for 50 days in Dalian on suspicions of “espionage and being a threat to national security.” They include Kim Young-hwan, a prominent activist.

China has yet to elaborate on the nature of their detention.

Observers say that due to Kim’s high profile and media attention the detainees were liable to be treated decently, though rights groups have claimed they had been denied any contact with their families.

Such treatment was not afforded to Jung, who was not permitted to contact a lawyer, family or the South Korean consulate.

Under a deal with Pyongyang, Chinese authorities patrol the border area for defectors, repatriating them despite reported harsh punishment in the North including torture and sometimes death. Activists assisting them are sometimes arrested due to “border regulations” in an apparent bid to discourage the activities.

Jung said those under questioning are often kept in extremely close quarters with those already found guilty. South and North Koreans and Chinese inmates are mixed and violence often breaks out.

He recalled being interrogated and upon arrival was deprived of sleep for three days.

“They kept telling me to repent, but I said I had done nothing wrong according to Chinese or international law. Finally after a year and a half, they decided I had broken no laws and repatriated me.”

Another Christian activist with knowledge of the situation expressed a similar view.

“It’s forced labor in many cases, interrogation sessions that last many hours, and depending on the situation, the inflicting of physical pain, deprivation of food and sleep,” the activist said, asking not to be named.

“One of the most insidious things that I’ve heard of is dangerous cell mates that sometimes turn violent. So there is a constant sense of fear even when they are not being interrogated.”

Observers suspect the detention of Kim is a sign of a continued lockdown along the border since the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in December. Analysts say that increased defections could hurt the legitimacy of his son and new leader Kim Jong-un.

Jung urges activists to raise awareness on the matter.

“China needs to reform according to international norms. They have to let detainees read books, communicate with lawyers and permit contact with consulates. But they don’t care,” he said.