Last month One Free Korea posted about the plight of North Korean dissident Yoo Sang-joon who was arrested by the Chinese government for helping North Korean defectors make their way through China to third countries to claim asylum to South Korea.  The Chinese wanted to send him back to North Korea to face a quick death by a firing squad if he was lucky even though he was by then a South Korean citizen. 

However, great news today from One Free Korea about Yoo Sang-joon:

To those who responded to my request to spam e-mail the Chinese government to demand Yoo Sang Joon’s release, reach up and pat yourself on the back. You just might have saved a life.

Yoo’s wife and one child died in the Great Famine, and his remaining son, Chul Min, died of exposure trying to escape through the Mongolian desert. Not long ago, Yoo appeared to be headed for a post-mortem reunion with his family. He was under arrest by China’s fascist regime, which wanted to send him back to North Korea, where a speedy trip to the firing squad would have been one of the more favorable outcomes he could have hoped for. Instead, thanks to international pressure and a great deal of expense and effort by the Rev. Tim Peters and Dr. Norbert Vollertsen, Yoo is in South Korea. A big hat tip and many thanks to a friend for reporting this terrific news.

Make sure to read the rest about this great news that is made bitter sweet by the fact the North Korean defectors that Yoo was arrested with were returned to North Korea. 

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