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Man arrested 5 times in 3 days because he looked like North Korean fugitive

Man arrested 5 times in 3 days because he looked like North Korean fugitive

A man from China was reported to the police five times in three days due to his resemblance to a North Korean defector.

December 9, 2021
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A man from China was reported to the police five times in three days due to his resemblance to a North Korean defector.
The doppelganger: The Chinese man in the dark blue jacket has a similar hairstyle, facial features and expression of the North Korean, who is identified as Zhu Xianjian by Republic World.
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  • Zhu escaped from prison on Oct. 18 in Northeast China’s Jilin Province. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail for illegal border crossing, robbery and larceny in 2013. While he was scheduled to be released in August 2023 and deported back to North Korea, Zhu managed to escape. 
  • Jail breakouts are notably rare in China. The local police offered a maximum 700,000 yuan (approximately $109,800) reward for any information on Zhu’s whereabouts in an area where the average monthly income of locals is only 2,000 yuan ($314).
  • Zhu reportedly broke into people’s homes and stole cash, cellphones and clothes, following his illegal entry into China. 
  • Online followers suggested Zhu’s doppelganger wear his identity card at all times to prove his innocence.  
  • According to Times Now, the real Zhu was eventually arrested after 40 days of being on the run on Nov. 28. 
Featured Image via @faceofmalawi1
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      Michelle De Pacina

      Michelle De Pacina is a New York-based Reporter for NextShark

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