Rights activists say China neglecting North Korean refugees

People pass by a wire fence at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju South Korea, near the border with North Korea, March 24, 2023. [AP Photo]

Human rights activists and former officials are accusing Beijing of violating both Chinese and international laws, putting thousands of North Korean refugees in imminent danger.

Approximately 2,000 North Korean refugees are detained at the Chinese border "awaiting imminent forced repatriation" by a Chinese government that has been refusing to protect them, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC).