A North Korean who escaped from a Chinese prison, Zhu Xianjiang, has been arrested. Photo/The National
Officials in northeast China had offered a reward of USD 23,000 or around Rp. 326 million to catch the fugitive, who is known to be an expert on escape. The announcement sparked a massive hunting interest on social media.
The 39-year-old prisoner, identified only by his Chinese name Zhu Xianjian, is imprisoned in China after escaping from a reclusive North.
He escaped from a facility in Jilin city by climbing up a warehouse and jumping over an outer wall on October 18, and managed to escape before being arrested on Sunday (28/11/2021).
Also read: China Prepares Rp326 Million for Captors of North Korean Citizens Who Expertly Flee
A one-line statement issued by the Jilin police said he had been alerted around 10:00 am Sunday morning, without providing further details.
Video shared by the state-run Beijing News shows a emaciated-looking man being carried by several officers, with a photo of him then lying on the ground with his hands behind his back. Channel News Asia.
Zhu was convicted of illegally entering China, committing theft and robbery, and will be released and deported back to North Korea in 2023. This has sparked online speculation that he fled to avoid being sent back to his home country.
He illegally crossed the river that separates North Korea from China in 2013. He then attacked several houses in a nearby village, stealing money, cell phones and clothes, according to court records.
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