China Forcibly Returns 600 North Korean Defectors

Deportees, Mostly Women, Face Potential Imprisonment, Torture, and Execution in North Korea

China has forcibly returned up to 600 North Korean defectors, most of whom are women, back to North Korea where they face potential imprisonment, torture, and execution.
The mass deportation, which took place in October, is the largest of its kind in years and has been condemned by human rights groups.
Since the deportation, no communication has been established with the North Koreans, leading to fears they have 'vanished'.
China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees, instead labeling them as 'economic migrants' who are in the country illegally.
Human rights groups estimate that as many as 1,500 other North Koreans being held in detention centers across China could also be deported in the coming months.