Recently, a North Korean defector in his 30s living in China complained of illness and received financial help from other North Korean defectors. However, this claim turned out to be false, causing a great shock to the North Korean defector community.
On the 23rd, Daily NK, a local North Korean news source in China, said, “Early last month, a North Korean defector living in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, complained that he was suffering from physical pain and received help from other North Korean defectors,” adding, “But it turns out that it was a lie. “With the recent revelations, North Korean defectors who helped him are feeling greatly disappointed and even angry.”
According to sources, North Korean defectors in China live in different places and do not know each other, but they maintain relationships by creating messenger chat rooms to communicate, opening up about their painful wounds, comforting each other, and even taking care of each other on birthdays.
Meanwhile, when Mr. A, a North Korean defector in his 30s who was active in the chat room early last month, did not appear in the chat room for several days, a North Korean defector contacted him separately and asked how he was doing.
Accordingly, Mr. A said that he had a severe headache and could not raise his head, was feeling nauseous, and was anemic, so he was lying down. He would have to go to the hospital to find out the cause, but since he had no social status, he could not go alone, and his Chinese husband could not make time due to work, so she stayed as was. He complained that he was just sick.
Mr. A’s story became known in the chat room through a North Korean defector who contacted him separately, and North Korean defectors who felt sorry for him voluntarily provided financial support of 100 to 300 yuan each out of pure hope that he would recover quickly.
A source said, “North Korean defectors in China are illegal immigrants, so it is difficult to receive formal hospital treatment, and even if they do receive treatment, it costs a lot of money, so they have no choice but to endure it when they get sick.” He added, “North Korean defectors are well aware that each other is in this situation, so there is someone there.” “When people say they are sick, they feel sympathy and try to help in any way they can, even though it is difficult for them,” he said.
In fact, it is said that the donations that North Korean defectors raised through general donations for Mr. A exceeded 5,000 yuan.
However, as it was recently accidentally revealed that Mr. A lied about being sick to raise funds to go to South Korea and obtained the money by stimulating comradeship, it is said that the North Korean defectors who helped him felt a great sense of betrayal.
One North Korean defector who sent actual money to him out of pity said, “Most North Korean defectors here in China are in a similar situation, so when I hear that they are sick, I feel sorry for them because they feel like they are my family, even if I have never seen their face. That is why I have 100 yuan in my pocket.” “Even though I don’t have any money, I sent money as a loan in the hope that I would gain strength and recover quickly, but I am so angry that it was a lie,” he said.
He added, “It’s really shameful that he took advantage of people’s hearts, regardless of whether the amount of money was large or small. On the other hand, I feel even more sorry when I think about how desperate he was for money, why he would have told such lies to raise money.”
The source said, “Because of this incident, the North Korean defector in question has been expelled from the chat room and is receiving all kinds of criticism.” “North Korean defectors who heard his story are unanimous in saying, ‘If he needed money, it would have been better if he had asked for help openly instead of abusing his sincerity.’ “He said.
Source: www.dailynk.com
