Monday, July 03, 2006

10 North Korean refugees in U.S. Embassy in Thailand

According to a source familiar with the North Korean refugee issue, a group of 10 North Korean refugees have entered the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.

It is not yet confirmed that these are the same refugees who were arrested in northern Thailand last month for entering the country illegally, as reported by Japan's Kyodo News Agency. Thai police are quoted as saying that the North Korean defectors were caught on a bus heading to the capital Bangkok from Phayao Province in northern Thailand.

Local police reported it uncommon to see such a large number of North Korean defectors in a single group, especially traveling on a bus.

An increasing number of North Koreans have fled to neighboring countries in Asia of late to escape hunger and oppression at home.

No comments: