Former Chinese Police Officer Detained in South Korea, Arrives in Canada

Dong Guangping, a former Chinese policeman, was detained in South Korea in May 2025 after entering the country by boat. He subsequently arrived in Canada, where members of his family reside.

Incident in South Korea

Dong Guangping was found drifting in a 3.3-meter rubber boat equipped with a 10-horsepower engine off the coast of Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, on the evening of Monday, May 26, 2025.

The Taean coast guard stated he was detained and questioned for alleged violations of South Korea's immigration laws. His lawyer, Kim Joo-kwang, confirmed his identity to AFP. The location from which Dong launched the boat has not been publicly determined.

Arrival in Canada

According to a social media post by his friend, Sheng Xue, Dong Guangping arrived in Canada on July 12, 2025. The post, which included photographs, stated he landed at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on an Air Canada flight. Dong has expressed a desire to reunite with his wife and daughters, who have resettled in Canada.

Background

Dong Guangping is a former policeman from China. He was imprisoned in China around 2001 for three years on a charge of "inciting subversion of state power." He was detained again in 2014 for activities related to the memorialization of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

He has previously fled to Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan, but was returned to China on each occasion. After one of these instances, Thai authorities handed him over to China in 2015, despite him having been granted refugee status by the United Nations.

Statements and Context

Dong’s lawyer described the case as "highly likely to be a political asylum case."

South Korea's opposition People Power Party urged the government to offer Dong protection and facilitate his travel to Canada.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has not commented on the case. According to reports, South Korea's refugee approval rate is in the low single digits. In a separate incident in 2023, Chinese dissident Kwon Pyong fled to South Korea by jet ski, was convicted of illegal entry, and received a suspended sentence.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not commented on the case.