Traffic Of North Korean Women Into China

EDM number 365 in 2005-06, proposed by Nick Harvey on 20/06/2005.

That this House is appalled by the human traffic of North Korean women into China for sexual and labour exploitation; notes that this has left as many as 300,000 North Koreans hiding in China unable to return to North Korea, as leaving the country without permission is an offence punishable with death; further notes that the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea has labelled North Koreans in this situation as refugees; regrets that, despite this and the fact that China is a party to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the Chinese government continues to deport North Koreans who do not have regular immigration status and denies access to the UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) to monitor North Koreans in China; requests that China allows the UNHCR this right; and calls upon the Government to make representations to their North Korean counterparts to grant access to the UNHCR to monitor human rights conditions in the country, including conditions in detention centres and prisons.

This motion has been signed by a total of 69 MPs.