On July 9th, The New York Times published a featured article highlighting the desperate situation of North Korean escapees in China and the challenges faced by those who try to help them escape from harm's way. Through the tragic story of two different cohorts of North Koreans exploited in China, the article conveyed that aiding the escapees has become increasingly difficult due to China's strict border controls and pervasive surveillance. The news cited the testimony of Hanna Song, NKDB's Director of International Cooperation, before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

"The decline in defections does not stem from a diminished desire among North Koreans to escape their oppressive regime," Hanna Song, a human rights worker who monitors refugees, said last month during a congressional hearing in Washington. "Rather, it reflects the mounting difficulties imposed by China’s pervasive surveillance measures."

You can read the full article on The New York Times website by clicking HERE.