Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BANGKOK5937
2005-09-15 08:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

UNHCR UPDATE ON DPRK REFUGEE IN THAILAND

Tags:  PREF PREL TH KN KS DPRK 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005937 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM/ANE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2015
TAGS: PREF PREL TH KN KS DPRK
SUBJECT: UNHCR UPDATE ON DPRK REFUGEE IN THAILAND

REF: BANGKOK 00484

Classified By: POLITICAL OFFICER JAMES COLE. REASON 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005937

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM/ANE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2015
TAGS: PREF PREL TH KN KS DPRK
SUBJECT: UNHCR UPDATE ON DPRK REFUGEE IN THAILAND

REF: BANGKOK 00484

Classified By: POLITICAL OFFICER JAMES COLE. REASON 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary. North Korean refugee Mr. Park Tae-Hung
continues to reside in Thailand illegally and appears to have
moved from Pattaya to Bangkok. UNHCR has been in sporadic
contact with him since June and is prepared to refer him on
an immediate basis to the ROK Embassy for resettlement. End
Summary.


2. (C) Acting Refcoord spoke with UNHCR Chief Protection
Officer Giuseppe de Vincentis on 15 September to review the
status of North Korean refugee Park Tae-Hung. De Vincentis
confirmed that UNHCR interviewed Park in June and has been in
sporadic contact with him since. Ten days ago UNHCR learned
from a TIME Magazine journalist that Mr. Park recently moved
from Pattaya to Bangkok.


3. (C) When queried on the status of his case with UNHCR, de
Vincentis outlined the current informal "pipeline" that they
use to resettle North Koreans (Ref). UNHCR has two criteria
when interviewing North Koreans: determining that they are
Korean and that they are willing to relocate to South Korea.
Once these two requirements have been met, the individual is
quietly referred to the ROK Embassy in Bangkok which quickly
handles the resettlement. During their interview of Mr. Park
in June, UNHCR was able to satisfy the first criterion, but
Mr. Park appeared only interested in relocating to Japan or
the U.S.


4. (C) De Vincentis explained that his office is considering
contacting Mr. Park to see if he has reconsidered the ROK
option. If so, UNHCR would refer him "immediately" to the
South Korean Embassy for swift resettlement.
ARVIZU