Joseonjok (Korean Chinese) workers who partook in the protests for regaining Korean citizenship were detained by Chinese officials as they re-entered China.

Korean civil activist groups working for migrant workers' rights said that three Joseonjoks were detained by Chinese authorities when they arrived at Qingdao last week. They said that nine Joseonjoks re-entered China last Monday, but only three who participated in the assemblies for the reinstatement of their Korean nationality in Korea were detained.

More than 5,000 Joseonjoks have been protesting to regain Korean nationality in order to legally stay in Korea.

Most Joseonjoks are the descendants of independence fighters who resided in China during Japanese colonial rule.

Some speculate that the Chinese government is imposing fines amounting to 15 million won or three years in prison on Joseonjoks who have pleaded for the reinstatement of their Korean citizenship.