The people of North Korea are still starving to death in some parts of the country, Kim Jong Il continues give the finger to the international community as far as nukes goes, and North Korean defectors (i.e., refugees) are turned away from a safe harbor:

Nine people believed to be North Korean defectors were turned away after forcing their way into a South Korean international school in China on Monday morning, a local civic group that supports defectors said… the school principal ordered his officials to haul them out about one hour later, they said, adding that the alleged defectors were now hiding at an undisclosed location. The expulsion is unusual, if they are proved to be North Koreans, since most North Korean defectors who sought asylum in South Korean international schools in China were allowed to travel to South Korea as requested. The principal claimed he took the measure because the people did not identify themselves as North Korean defectors when they entered his office. They also did not request passage to South Korea, he insisted. [emphasis added]

Let’s look at this logically. If you’re a North Korean, and you want to make sure you don’t get sent back to North Korea, you’re going to say so. It is highly likely that the principle is being less than honest. Unfortunately this is part of a pattern rather than an isolated incident:

REJECTING NORTHERN REFUGEES, Part 1: South Korea slams the door. By Andrei Lankov

REJECTING NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES, PART 2: A long, winding and dangerous road. By Andrei Lankov

It’s just not right.