Kathrine Frich
Crossing rough ocean waters in a tiny vessel is an incredibly dangerous gamble.
For some desperate people, facing the freezing waves is still much safer than staying on dry land.
One man recently pushed himself to the absolute physical limit for a chance at freedom.
A desperate voyage
South Korean coastal forces spotted a tiny craft drifting off their western shores on Monday evening. Inside the inflatable boat sat a 68-year-old human rights activist.
Dong Guangping powered his small rubber vessel using just a basic outboard engine. He managed to successfully navigate the treacherous stretch of ocean between the two nations.
Police quickly detained the exhausted traveler for suspected immigration violations, according to Agerpres. His South Korean legal representative confirmed his identity to the press while outlining the next legal steps.
Surviving the elements
Lawyer Kim Joo-kwang told AFP the situation is “very likely a case of requesting political asylum.”
The massive physical toll of the journey nearly killed the elderly passenger. Fellow pro-democracy campaigner Sheng Xue shared terrifying details about the crossing on social media.
She noted that the daring escape launched from Weihai in eastern China “after thorough inspection and preparations.”
Sheng stated, “Dong Guangping is truly resilient and brave! (…) I spoke to him last night. Dong said he was unconscious when he arrived in South Korean waters. He had not slept for over 50 hours and had been at sea for over 30 hours, exposed to sea winds.”
A history of defiance
The former police officer has spent decades fighting for political reform. Chinese authorities previously fired him for signing a petition marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
The US-based group Human Rights in China noted that his activism brought severe punishment. A report from UN experts revealed he spent nearly three years in prison starting in 2001 for “incitement to subvert state power.”
He eventually fled to Thailand, but local authorities handed him directly back to Beijing police in 2015. Despite holding official UN refugee status, he spent years trapped in his home country while his family settled in Canada.
Sources: Digi24, AFP, Agerpres, Human Rights in China, United Nations, social media
