By Kim Hyo-jin



A Swedish court temporarily suspended the repatriation of a North Korean seeking refugee status in Sweden, a civic group based in Seoul said Tuesday.



"The Swedish Migration Court decided to temporarily suspend deportation of a North Korean boy to China," said Peter Jung, a director at Justice for North Korea (JFNK).



"Though temporary, it is less likely that the court will push for deportation as a next move."



A 17-year-old North Korean surnamed Han, requested refugee status in Sweden in April 2013 after he landed in the country via China and Russia with fake identification from an ethnic Korean broker in China.



However, Swedish authorities decided to deport him to China on the assumption that he was Chinese because Han failed to verify his nationality.



Seoul-based NGO JFNK stepped up to help the young asylum-seeker from last month. It interviewed a group of North Korean refugees in Seoul who came from the same hometown as Han, who had similar stories to his about life there.



"He said he was a kkotjebi in North Hamgyeong Province," Jung said. "The officials of the Swedish Migration Board may have had difficulties proving his origin due to a lack of understanding of North Korean language and culture."



Kkotjebi is a word describing homeless, orphaned children in North Korea.



The Swedish Migration Court decided to suspend Han's deportation to look through new evidence the JFNK submitted, including the signatures and statements of 10 North Korean interviewees who can verify details of Han's background.



Supporters of Han's asylum in Sweden launched an online campaign to prevent his deportation, and their movement has collected 19,600 signatures on a petition.



"If Swedish authorities refuse to offer refugee status to Han, and if Han is also willing to come to Korea, we will work on his asylum in Korea," said Jung, adding that he has been working closely with the Korean government on the issue.



