Chinese dissident completes daring sea escape to South Korea in fourth bid for freedom

A 68-year-old Chinese dissident and former police officer has successfully reached South Korea after a perilous 30-hour journey across the sea in a small inflatable boat, marking his fourth attempt to flee China and reunite with his family in Canada.
Dong Guangping was rescued by the South Korean Coast Guard on Monday evening after fishermen spotted his vessel near Taean, on the country’s western coast. According to fellow activist Sheng Xue, who spoke with Dong by phone, the boat’s engine failed as he approached shore. Exhausted and sleepless for two days, Dong was on the verge of collapse when he was picked up.
“For a long time, we discussed ways to escape China,” Sheng told reporters. When Dong first contacted her, he proudly declared, “I got here!”
Dong, who has faced repeated imprisonment for his pro-democracy activism, left from Weihai in China’s eastern Shandong province. Rights groups have urged South Korean authorities not to return him to China, warning that repatriation would likely result in further persecution, imprisonment, or worse.
Long History of Persecution
A former police officer in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Dong was dismissed after co-signing a letter marking the 10th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. He was jailed for three years in 2001 for his activism and arrested again in 2014 for participating in a memorial for Tiananmen victims.
In 2015, he fled to Thailand with his wife, Gu Shuhua, and daughter, where they applied for refugee status with the UNHCR. While his wife and daughter were resettled in Canada, Thai authorities forcibly returned Dong to China. He was later sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.
Barred from leaving China, Dong made multiple desperate attempts to escape. He tried swimming to Taiwan-controlled Kinmen island and, in 2020, crossed illegally into Vietnam, only to be arrested and deported back in 2022. He served another 11-month sentence for “illegal border crossing” before his release in late 2023.
His daughter, Katherine Dong, previously described her father’s determination: “His dream of being reunited with family was so strong.”
Growing Risks for Chinese Dissidents
Dong’s dramatic sea escape highlights the increasing desperation among Chinese dissidents as Beijing intensifies surveillance, censorship, and crackdowns on political dissent using advanced facial recognition and AI tools.
In a similar case in 2023, another activist reportedly crossed from Shandong province to South Korea on a jet ski. Many dissidents have turned to unconventional routes after neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam repeatedly cooperated with Chinese authorities in deporting them.
Human Rights in China described Dong’s journey as “a devastating indictment of China’s human rights situation,” noting that a man nearing 70 was forced to risk his life in a small inflatable boat.
South Korea’s Coast Guard has confirmed the rescue of a Chinese man in his 60s but has not officially named him, citing privacy laws. Dong has been arrested on suspicion of violating immigration rules, and his case has been referred to prosecutors. It remains unclear whether he will seek asylum in South Korea, which maintains strict immigration policies.
Sheng Xue has appealed to Canadian authorities and urged Seoul not to repatriate Dong, citing the grave risks he would face upon return.
China’s foreign ministry declined to comment on the case.
Dong holds asylum status in Canada, and his successful arrival in South Korea places the new administration of President Lee Jae-myung in a delicate diplomatic position as it seeks to manage relations with Beijing.
His family in Canada has so far declined to comment publicly on his latest escape.