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N. Korean man kills 4 Chinese in border town robbery

January 5, 2015

A North Korean soldier takes picture of an American soldier and a Korean military police officer at Panmujeom. (Newsis)

The North Korean man was believed to be an army deserter. Here a North Korean soldier takes picture of an American soldier and a Korean military police officer at Panmujeom. (Newsis)

SHENYANG, China (Yonhap) — A North Korean man believed to be an army deserter has been detained by Chinese authorities for allegedly killing four Chinese citizens in an apparent robbery in the Chinese border city of Helong, a source with knowledge of the incident said Monday.

The incident took place on Dec. 27 last year in the border town of Nanping in Helong, just north of the Tumen River overlooking North Korea’s North Hamkyong Province, the source said on the condition of anonymity.

The gun-wielding North Korean man killed the four Chinese citizens at their houses during an apparent robbery, according to the source.

Chinese police and military authorities caught the North Korean man after a manhunt, the source said.

Chinese authorities have not announced the incident and the country’s state-run media organizations also have remained silent.

It is not uncommon for North Korean soldiers or citizens to cross the border into Chinese towns and attempt robberies.

In December 2013, a North Korean defector in his 20s killed an elderly Chinese couple in the Chinese border city of Yanji and stole 20,000 yuan (US$3,210). The North Korean defector was caught by Chinese authorities after fleeing to Beijing.