S. Korea probing N.K. defector couple's possible escape to Pyongyang
SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is looking into the whereabouts of a North Korean defector couple amid speculation that they may have voluntarily returned to North Korea via China, Seoul's unification ministry said Monday.
A local cable TV channel reported Sunday that the 30-something defector couple could not be reached after they left for China in mid-October.
"As they fell out of touch after leaving for China, authorities are investigating the case," Baik Tae-hyun, ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.
It cannot not be confirmed if they voluntarily re-entered North Korea unless they appear on the North's propaganda outlets to say so.
The ministry said that 26 North Korean defectors have gone back to the North so far. The number of North Koreans coming to South Korea stood at 31,093 as of end-September.
In mid-July, a North Korean female defector appeared in a propaganda video, saying she returned to North Korea in June after suffering "physically and mentally" in the capitalist South.
The woman, known as Lim Ji-hyun in South Korea, became somewhat popular here after appearing on cable TV show programs featuring North Korean defectors. She insisted that she was lured to South Korea by the fallacy that she could make a lot of money.
"The government will make efforts to help North Korean defectors better settle here through cooperation with private agencies and local communities," Baik said. "It will also do its part to create an atmosphere to embrace North Korean refugees as members of our society."
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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