By Ryu Jin & Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporters

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry came under fire on Thursday for failing to block China from deporting North Korean defectors.

After China’s recent deportation of seven North Korean defectors was confirmed Wednesday the ministry faces allegations it didn’t make a timely response in light of reports about their fate made as early as March. It is being forced to reconsider its ``silent diplomacy’’ that aims to bring North Korean defectors to South Korea through behind-the-scenes consultations with Beijing.

In March, the media first reported the plight of seven North Koreans, taking refuge at the time, in a camp in Tumen, Jilin, near the border between the communist allies. They were holding hunger strikes along with several others there demanding to be sent to South Korea, according to the reports.

At that time, Seoul diplomats, however, argued the media reports were somewhat exaggerated and that reporting of that kind would only hamper behind-the-scenes negotiations between Seoul and Beijing.

Even after the latest report by a local newspaper early this month that the seven had already been sent to the North, the Foreign Ministry kept up its denial. Finally, during an abruptly arranged press briefing on Wednesday, the ministry admitted that ``China notified us that they have repatriated the seven defectors to the North according to their free will, but they did not tell the exact time of repatriation.’’

The opposition Grand National Party lambasted the government’s failure to prevent their repatriation, calling it a ``humiliating diplomacy toward China.’’

``The government has kept silent about the North Korean defector issue,’’ said Rep. Kim Deog-ryong, the floor leader of the party.

Hundreds of North Koreans fleeing repression and famine have made their way to rival South Korea via China in recent years, but most do so in secret. China is obligated by treaty to return North Koreans to their homeland, though Beijing is allowing thousands to live illegally in its northeast. According to some civic organizations, some 400 to 500 defectors are sent back to North Korea per month.

``The government should throw away its attitude of trying to handle the issue behind the scenes,’’ Prof. Won Chae-chon of Handong University said. ``It should bring the case to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as early as possible.’’

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr