SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – A Chinese political dissident, Dong Guangping, aged 68, is currently in South Korean custody following a dangerous escape from China in a small rubber boat. This was reportedly his fourth attempt to flee the country, driven by the desire to reunite with his family, who have resettled in Canada.
On Monday night, Dong was apprehended by South Korea's coast guard while aboard a 3.3-meter (10.8-foot) rubber boat off the coast of a western South Korean island. He was detained for allegedly violating South Korea's immigration laws. The coast guard sought a warrant for his formal arrest; however, a local court declined to issue one on Thursday, stating there were insufficient grounds and necessity for such an action.
The future of Dong's case remains uncertain. South Korean investigative authorities may seek to arrest him again, or they could choose to indict him without physical detention. The Justice Ministry of South Korea has indicated it will review any application Dong submits for refugee status. Observers note, however, that South Korea's acceptance rate for refugee applications has been below 2% in recent years, even if evidence of political oppression is provided.
Dong Guangping, a former police officer in China, has a history of activism and has faced multiple detentions due to his political beliefs. He spent three years in prison beginning in 2001 for "inciting subversion of state power" and faced an over eight-month sentence after being arrested in 2014 for participating in a memorial for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, as reported by Amnesty International.
This marks Dong's fourth known attempt to escape China. He has previously fled to Thailand and Vietnam, only to be deported back to his home country. Additionally, he made an unsuccessful attempt to swim to a Taiwanese island. The perilous nature of his current escape was highlighted by Chinese Canadian activist Sheng Xue, who noted that Dong had discussed his escape plans with her, although she had cautioned him against the dangerous journey. Following his arrival in South Korea, Dong recounted to Xue that he had reached a state of unconsciousness by the time he reached Korean waters, having gone without sleep for over 50 hours and battled strong sea winds for more than 30 hours.
Upon being detained, local coast guard officials stated that Dong was in stable health, despite his ordeal. He reportedly claimed to have originated from Weihai city in the eastern Shandong province of China, although he has been reticent to answer many other questions from investigators.
In response to inquiries about Dong's situation, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, stated that he was "not familiar" with the case. Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il has indicated that Dong's case would be managed according to local laws, directing further queries to immigration authorities within the Justice Ministry.
The Canadian Embassy in Seoul has acknowledged reports concerning Dong but has declined to comment further on the matter at this time. Dong is not alone in seeking refuge in South Korea from China; in 2023, a fellow Chinese dissident, Kwon Pyong, reached South Korea via jet ski, citing persecution for mocking China's communist leadership as his motive for escape.
