Why Laos sides with NK over defectors

By Chung Min-uck

The unprecedented decision by Laotian authorities to send 9 North Korean defectors to China for repatriation Tuesday reflects the close relationship between the Southeast Asian nation and North Korea.

Both are communist countries; the North initially established diplomatic ties with Laos in 1974. Since then, Pyongyang has maintained friendly relations with the Vientiane, which allegedly includes exporting weapons to it.

As recently as June 2008, the two countries signed a mutual legal treaty on civil and criminal cases and a memorandum of understanding on social security, further cementing their cooperation.

Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un became leader of the reclusive state in 2011, exchanges of high-level personnel have also been common.

In August 2012, North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly President Kim Yong-nam visited Laos. Earlier in May, North Korean People’s Army Chief of General Staff Ri Yong-ho paid a visit too.

It was also confirmed that Soukanh Mahalath, the mayor of Vientiane, visited North Korea last week.

Besides this, the move by Laos is in line with the young North Korean leader’s recent policies aimed at further tightening control of citizens attempting to defect.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said that the North Korean mission in Laos has twice as many officials compared to South Korea’s which is usually staffed by five officials.

Observers say the decision by Laos was a result of the lack of South Korean diplomatic staff in the communist nation.

The North Koreans, aged between 15 and 23, fled their country to Laos via China last month. They were forced to return home on Tuesday, a day after they were deported to China from Laos after being rounded up by the Laotian authorities on May 10.

Diplomatic sources say at least one North Korean agent was on board the Air Koryo flight to Pyongyang with the defectors, indicating that the North Korean government was involved in the deportation.

South Korea has asked U.N. human rights agencies to help ensure the safety of the nine.

"The government has asked U.N. human rights and refugee agencies to cooperate with the repatriation of the North Korean defectors," said an official at the foreign ministry.

Meanwhile, a local newspaper reported that the son of a Japanese women abducted by North Korea in the 1970s was among them.

However, the South Korean government did not have any information regarding this, the official said.