HONG KONG (AP) - A Chinese political dissident named Dong Guangping, who fled to South Korea last month in a small inflatable dinghy, has successfully arrived in Canada, as confirmed by a friend on social media on Saturday.

Dong was taken into custody by South Korea's coast guard while aboard a 3.3-meter (10.8-foot) inflatable boat in the waters off a western South Korean island in May. He was accused of violating the country's immigration laws. Notably, this incident marks Dong's fourth known attempt to escape China. During a court appearance in South Korea, he expressed his desire to travel to Canada to reunite with his wife and daughters, who have already been resettled there, according to reports from South Korean media outlets.

On Saturday, Sheng Xue, a Chinese Canadian activist and Dong's friend, shared an update on the social media platform X, stating that Dong had landed in Toronto after an Air Canada flight on Friday. She mentioned in her post, "He just had a big bowl of noodles with eggs, tomatoes and shrimps," highlighting the small joys following his challenging journey. Xue has spent over a decade working to support Dong's escape from China.

Dong Guangping, who once served as a police officer in China, has faced significant repression, having been detained multiple times for his activist work. In 2001, he was imprisoned for three years for "inciting subversion of state power." Additionally, he spent more than eight months in prison after being arrested in 2014 for participating in a memorial for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, as previously reported by Amnesty International.

In his past attempts to flee, Dong had successfully escaped to Thailand and Vietnam, but authorities in those countries eventually deported him back to China. He also made a failed attempt to swim to a Taiwanese island. His multiple efforts to escape highlight the ongoing risks faced by dissidents under the Chinese regime.

As of now, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not provided any immediate comments regarding Dong's arrival in the country.

This story of Dong Guangping underscores the struggle of many political dissidents who risk everything for freedom and a chance to reunite with their families. His eventual arrival in Canada represents both a personal victory for him and a broader commentary on the ongoing challenges faced by those who oppose authoritarian regimes.