Korea-U.S. Will Acknowledge NK Defectors As Refugees

The Korean National Assembly and the U.S. Congress set for the introduction of the resolution to acknowledge the North Korean defectors as political refugees.

The 7 Korean members and the 6 U.S. member of the Korea-U.S. Representatives Diplomatic Conference met together at the U.S. Capitol in Washington for an annual meeting and agreed to present the resolution to the Korean National Assembly and the U.S. Congress to urge the acknowledgement of the North Korean defectors as political refugees.

Rep. Yoo Jae-Gun of the New Millennium Democratic Party explained that ``the resolution is to press the international society to urge the Chinese government to allow the North Korean defectors to find new settlements.``

Meanwhile, the Chinese Public Security authority went on the arrest operation of the North Korean defectors, setting a reward price of 2000 wian (260 thousands won). Hong Kong English daily newspaper South China Morning Post reported yesterday that the operation has expanded to all over the nation from the China-NK border area.

Han Ki-Heung eligius@donga.com