One hundred former South Korean ambassadors released a statement on Thursday urging the Chinese government to halt the repatriation of North Koreans who have escaped into China.

The former diplomats said in the statement that North Korean defectors are not trespassers but refugees. They called for an immediate stop to the forced repatriation, saying if the refugees are sent back to North Korea, they are certain to be punished.

The retired ambassadors suggested that the U.N., South Korea, and China jointly establish an institute to determine whether the individuals are refugees who will be sent to countries of their choice.