Five Defectors From North Arrive in Seoul
SOUTH KOREA
Five nervous but relieved North Koreans who had been dragged from a Japanese Consulate by Chinese police arrived in South Korea today after a bitter dispute between China and Japan over their case.
The family arrived at Inchon International Airport near Seoul from Manila after two weeks of custody in China.
The group--a husband and wife, their 2-year-old daughter, her grandmother and an uncle--were met by relatives who defected to South Korea last year.
“First I thank God, and second I thank the people who helped us escape,” said Kim Gwang Chul, the father, after getting off the plane.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
