Zhu Xianjian Explained

Zhu Xianjian (;)[1] [2] is a North Korean defector who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for robbery and illegally crossing the China-North Korea border.[3] [4] [5] [6] In 2021, he escaped prison for 40 days, but was recaptured by Chinese police.[7] [8] [9] [10] During the manhunt for Zhu, a bounty of up to $100,000 was placed for his capture.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

Background

Zhu was a North Korean coal miner[17] and member of the Korean People's Army Special Operation Force. He is 160 cm in height.

On 21 July 2013, Zhu Xianjian illegally entered China from North Korea. Around midnight, Zhu swam across a river from northeastern North Korea to Tumen, Jilin in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Northeast China. Zhu then broke into several houses and stole money, clothes, and phones. An old woman witnessed Zhu's crimes and called for help. Zhu then took out a knife and stabbed that woman while trying to steal her satchel. The woman was injured but survived. Zhu tried to flee by taxi, but was arrested within hours.

In March 2014, the court of Yanji in Jilin convicted Zhu of larceny, robbery, and illegally crossing the border. Zhu was fined 16,000 yuan and sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by deportation. Zhu would be jailed in a Jilin prison, and after he served his sentence he would be deported back to North Korea.[18] [19]

While in prison, Zhu was forced to do labor and participate in ideological education.

Prison break, manhunt, and recapture

On 18 or 19 October 2021, Zhu escaped the Jilin prison by scaling a shed and running over a roof. He then damaged the prison electric fence with a rope and escaped. Prison guards chased after Zhu, and police conducted a manhunt for Zhu as well as a house to house search. China placed a bounty of more than $23,000 for Zhu's capture. This was eventually increased to more than $100,000.

After 40 days, on 28 November, Zhu was finally recaptured by the police around 10am Sunday morning (local time), around Fengman District (丰满区松花湖黑瞎子沟). He was 39 years old at the time.

Aftermath and reactions

Zhu's initial escape was captured on video by Chinese state media and widely broadcast. A hashtag related to Zhu and his bounty had garnered over 22 million views on Weibo. But soon, the bounty notice and many videos were scrubbed and deleted from social media.

Another video circulated around Chinese media depicting the recaptured Zhu looking weak and tired while being handcuffed by the police. Some were surprised Zhu could survive in the cold for 40 days (as winter temperatures in Northeast China can dip below freezing point). Some speculated Zhu escaped from prison to avoid being sent back to North Korea and executed. North Korean defectors such as Zhu could be subject to execution, sexual abuse, and torture when deported back to North Korea.

During the manhunt for Zhu, police accidentally captured another man who looked like Zhu five times. Social media remarked that Zhu's lookalike could finally be set free.

China's policy is usually to repatriate North Korean defectors as most are illegal migrants rather than refugees. As such, defectors like Zhu Xianjian can be treated as criminals and tried under China's judicial and legal system.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 悬赏抓捕！一罪犯从监狱脱逃 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129202446/https://m.thepaper.cn/baijiahao_14975614 . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 澎湃新闻 . 江南都市报.
  2. Web site: 2021-11-29 . 지린 교도소 탈출 탈북인 주현건씨 41일 만에 붙잡혀 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129234229/https://www.donga.com/news/Inter/article/all/20211129/110499948/1 . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 동아일보(東亞日報) . ko.
  3. Web site: Gan . Nectar . 2021-10-20 . First he fled North Korea. Now he's escaped from a Chinese prison, and has a $23,000 bounty on his head . 2023-03-03 . CNN . en.
  4. Web site: North Korean Robber Breaks Out of Northeast China Prison - Caixin Global . 2023-03-03 . www.caixinglobal.com . en.
  5. Web site: 朱贤健 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220104170342/http://renminshangjin.com/criminal/1967.html . 2022-01-04 . 2022-01-04 . 人民赏金 . 全国通缉悬赏在逃信息收录平台.
  6. Web site: 冯华妹 . 吉林监狱外籍越狱犯朱贤健落网 官方曾悬赏捉拿 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129231511/https://china.caixin.com/m/2021-11-28/101810883.html . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 财新网.
  7. Web site: 2022-02-24 . North Korean fugitive's hut hideaway attracts tourists to Chinese lake . 2023-03-03 . South China Morning Post . en.
  8. Web site: Yang . Zekun . 赵思远 . Prisoner who escaped from Jilin captured . 2023-03-03 . global.chinadaily.com.cn.
  9. Web site: North Korean prisoner caught 40 days after vaulting over Chinese prison fence . 2023-03-03 . www.9news.com.au. 30 November 2021 .
  10. Web site: 朝鲜特种兵越狱42天吉林被捕 朝鲜军方或纵容越境中国行为 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211213084730/https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/ql1129a-11292021041659.html . 2021-12-13 . 2021-11-29 . Radio Free Asia . en . live.
  11. Web site: 朝鲜籍越狱犯朱贤健被捕 警方此前悬赏70万元人民币 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129230712/https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20211128-1217825 . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 联合早报 . zh-Hans . live.
  12. Web site: 吉林朝鲜籍越狱犯逃亡27天 通缉赏金提高至50万元 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129225919/https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/ql1117a-11172021025121.html . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . Radio Free Asia . en . live.
  13. Web site: 朝鲜前特种兵朱贤健在吉林越狱42天后被抓获 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129232532/https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/Xinwen/10-11282021161816.html . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . Radio Free Asia . en . live.
  14. Web site: 吉林监狱一外籍重刑犯强行脱逃：犯偷越国境等三宗罪 警方称极度危险 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129202448/https://ishare.ifeng.com/c/s/v006BzBBa3IFUucZ8UjOFXbaX--pbs--pYO8TO--l18bzH--5QYWgf--TgXicXQClLvcI9jIA8rofHs3AaYlWYxaLs69u0Q____?spss=np&channelId=&aman=5bL812I155905d006bz590Rd84X6e9gc89f91fm352 . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 凤凰新闻 . 上游新闻 . live.
  15. Web site: 逃犯朱贤健逃亡41天落网：疑曾藏身景区暖气沟 因偷窃麻花等食物被村民发现 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211130101908/https://news.sina.com.cn/s/2021-11-28/doc-ikyakumx0776415.shtml . 2021-11-30 . 2021-11-30 . 新浪 . 红星新闻 . live.
  16. Web site: 朱贤健被捕细节：击伤后被抓获 已送往医院救治 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129225918/https://finance.sina.cn/2021-11-28/detail-ikyakumx0740460.d.html . 2021-11-29 . 2021-11-29 . 新浪财经 . 封面新闻 . live.
  17. Web site: Ho . Cheryl . 2021-11-30 . North Korean defector recaptured in China after more than 40 days on the run . 2023-03-03 . CNN . en.
  18. News: 2021-11-29 . China: North Korea fugitive captured after 40-day manhunt . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-03-03.
  19. Web site: 2021-10-19 . 吉林监狱一罪犯脱逃（附判决书…注：该人无户口信息） .

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