Tumen River - Refugee Crossing

Refugee Crossing

The Tumen has been used for years by North Korean refugees defecting across the Chinese border. Most refugees from North Korea during the 1990s famine crossed over the Tumen River, and most recent refugees have also used it.

Although the Tumen is heavily patrolled by armed guards of North Korea, the river is considered the preferred way to cross into China because, unlike the swift, deep and broad Yalu River which runs along most of the border between the two countries, the Tumen is shallow and narrow. "It is easily crossed in spots on foot or by swimming," according to a 2006 article in The New York Times.

Defectors who wish to cross the Tumen often ignore its pollutants and dangerous border patrol, and spend weeks if not months or years waiting for the perfect opportunity to cross.

"Long, desolate stretches of the Chinese-North Korean border are not patrolled at all," according to a New York Times article.

Refugees seldom cross the Tumen into Russia. This is because Russia's short stretch of the river is far better patrolled than China's stretch. In addition, there is no sizable ethnic Korean community in Russia to receive support from, as opposed to China, which has a larger Korean population. Finally, China is far less inclined to deport illegal North Korean aliens back than Russia is. (see also North Koreans in Russia).

The humanitarian crisis along the Tumen River was dramatized in the award-winning 2009 dramatic feature-length film, Dooman River.

• Bridge of Tumen River, built in 1941

• North Korea is on the other side of the Tumen River