The South Korean government has dispatched diplomats to China in an effort to prevent the repatriation of North Korean escapees under arrest there.

Chinese authorities reportedly plan to repatriate the escapees soon, and a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said a South Korean diplomat stationed in China has arrived in an unidentified Chinese city where the defectors are being held. The official added the ministry also sent two diplomats Thursday morning, including the relevant senior official handling North Korean defector issues, to negotiate with China.

The official said South Korea is asking for cooperation from China in allowing the defectors to travel to a third country in accordance with their free will.

More than 30 North Korean defectors are reportedly being held in China. Two of them are holders of South Korean citizenship.