Six North Korean defectors face possible deportation after being arrested by Chinese police.

The head of NK Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea, which assists North Korean defectors, said Tuesday that the defectors, including a family of three, were arrested in Jilin Province late Monday while crossing the Yalu River to flee to China. 
 
The defectors' family, who already escaped the North and settled in South Korea, contacted the South Korean government and called for help to release the defectors, saying they will face execution if deported.
 
Last week, a group of ten North Korean defectors were arrested in Shenyang and are also facing forcible deportation. 
 
Chinese authorities simply said that they will look into the cases.
 
China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a daily news briefing on Tuesday that China consistently upholds the handling of such matters in accordance with domestic and international law and humanitarian principles.

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