25 NK Defectors Will Arrive in Seoul Today or Tomorrow

Twenty-five North Korean defectors storm in the Spanish embassy in Beijing seem to arrive in Seoul on 16th or 17th.

A high official of the government said that they arrived safe in Manila after departing Beijing at 2 o`clock on 15th and they will take a flight for Seoul as soon as they have medical examinations and are recovered from the psychological pressure.

According to a source from the Philippine government, the defectors will be quarantined until they leave from Manila under the guide of Philippine government officials and the officials of the Korean embassy in Manila.

Previously, Zhu Rongji, the Premier of the State Council, revealed at the press conference after the closing of the fifth session of the Ninth National People`s Congress, remarked that “the Chinese government has reached an agreement with the related embassy on the issue. The issue will be dealt by law and the outcome will be released soon”

In relation, Lee Tae-Sik, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, appreciated the efforts of the related countries at a briefing to the reporters, saying “the Chinese government and the Spanish government showed their best diplomatic efforts considering our hope and expectation.” With regard to the Chinese support, Mr. Lee said, “it could be possible by the efforts of the Chinese government that showed its humanitarian efforts appropriate to its status in the international society.”

The Korean government delivered the gratitude of the Korean government to the Chinese and Spanish governments for the quick decision to send the defectors to Seoul in 27 hours rather than returning them to Pyongyang.

However, China did not acknowledged them as refugees by the U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, formally adopted on July 28, 1951. The Korean embassy in China issued temporary tour visas to them.

The NK defectors will follow the process that other defectors had gone through; joint investigations by the related government departments, training in Hanawon, a settlement training center for defectors, and then settlement process.

They departed from the Spanish embassy by 3 mini-buses and a jeep with plates for diplomats around 2:30 and directly drove to an airport in Beijing.

Young-Sik Kim ljhzip@donga.com · spear@donga.com