SEOUL, South Korea — A 68-year-old Chinese political activist remains in South Korean custody following a dangerous sea journey in a small rubber boat, marking his fourth known attempt to flee his homeland in hopes of reuniting with family members abroad.
Dong Guangping was discovered Monday evening aboard a 3.3-meter (10.8-foot) inflatable vessel near a western South Korean island, where coast guard officials detained him for suspected immigration law violations.
Coast guard authorities requested a formal arrest warrant, but a local court rejected the request Thursday, stating it was “difficult to recognize sufficient grounds and necessity” for his detention. Officials announced later Thursday they would transfer him to immigration authorities while continuing their investigation.
The activist’s future remains uncertain. Authorities may seek another arrest warrant or file charges without keeping him in custody. Should Dong request refugee protection, the Justice Ministry indicated it would evaluate his application.
Although evidence of political persecution in China could strengthen his refugee claim, experts point out that South Korea has approved fewer than 2% of refugee applications in recent years.
The former Chinese police officer has faced multiple detentions in his home country due to his political activities. He served three years in prison starting in 2001 for “inciting subversion of state power” and was jailed for more than eight months following a 2014 arrest for taking part in a memorial commemorating victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, based on previous Amnesty International reports.
During Thursday’s court appearance, he informed reporters of his desire to travel to Canada through South Korea to join his wife and daughters, who have already established residence there, according to South Korean news outlets.
His previous escape efforts included fleeing to Thailand and Vietnam, where officials sent him back to China. Dong also made an unsuccessful attempt to swim to a Taiwanese island.
Chinese Canadian activist Sheng Xue commended Dong’s courage in a Wednesday post on X. She revealed that Dong had discussed the boat escape plan with her, though she considered it extremely risky. She said she reconnected with Dong via Messenger after his arrival in South Korea.
“Dong Guangping said that when he reached Korean waters, he was already in a state of unconsciousness. He hadn’t slept for over 50 hours and had been blown by sea winds for over 30 hours,” she said.
Coast guard officials handling the case reported no serious health concerns when Dong was apprehended. They said he informed investigators he departed from Weihai city in China’s eastern Shandong province but has declined to answer most other inquiries.
When questioned about Dong’s situation during a regular briefing Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded that she was “not familiar with that.”
South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il told reporters Thursday that Dong’s case would probably be processed according to domestic law, while directing additional questions to Justice Ministry immigration officials.
The Canadian Embassy in Seoul acknowledged awareness of reports regarding Dong but stated it could not provide additional commentary.
While rare, Dong is not the first Chinese activist to reach South Korea by watercraft. In 2023, Kwon Pyong, another Chinese dissident, arrived in South Korea on a jet ski, claiming he was fleeing persecution for ridiculing China’s communist government. He was initially held in South Korea but later reportedly relocated to the United States to pursue asylum.
