UNCLAS HANOI 001373

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ASEC KN TH VM DPRK ASEAN
SUBJECT: Seven North Koreans Enter Thai Embassy in Hanoi

Ref: Hanoi 136 and previous


1. (SBU) Thai DCM Tawatchai Koopirom confirmed June 9 that
seven North Koreans asylum-seekers entered his embassy the
day before. The three men and four women, including two
younger people, got through the embassy's front gate by
pretending to be visa applicants. "It all happened very
fast," he said. The seven seem healthy and are currently
hunkered down in a small room in the chancery, and the Thais
have given them food and blankets. The Thai Embassy has no
Korean speakers on its staff, and communications have been
limited to drawings and sign language. However, the seven
were carrying a note written in English that indicated that
they are North Koreans seeking asylum. Tawatchai said the
group "wants to go to South Korea" and surmised that they
must have been very well organized because several reporters
phoned the embassy soon after the North Koreans entered.


2. (SBU) The Thai Embassy is in contact with the MFA's
Consular Department and the Thai MFA is in touch with the
UNHCR in Bangkok, Tawatchai said. The Thais have also
reached out to the ROK Embassy and the French Embassy.
According to Tawatchai, the Thai Ambassador spoke with his
French counterpart about how the French resolved their own
case of DPRK asylum-seekers (reftel). It is not yet clear
how this will be resolved, Tawatchai said, but, for now, the
GVN has increased security around the embassy.


3. (SBU) ROK Embassy Political First Secretary Lee Kang-kuk
confirmed that his embassy has been in touch with the Thais,
but he had no details about the asylum-seekers or their
intentions. The ROK Embassy will "eventually" send someone
to interview the asylum-seekers, but "at this point the
Thais have to deal with the Vietnamese," Lee said.

MARINE