The number of North Koreans who escaped to South Korea between January to August this year declined more than 10 percent from a year ago, government data showed Sunday.
The decrease is attributable to North Korea's tightened surveillance over its people and reinforced security by Pyongyang and Beijing along their borders, according to the Ministry of Unification's report to Rep. Park Byeong-seug of the ruling Democratic Party.
In this file photo taken on Aug. 9, 2017, South Korean citizens hold signs condemning the Chinese government`s policy on North Korean defectors at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. (Yonhap)
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