EMBASSY BANGKOK NORTH KOREAN RESPONSE PLAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002120 SIPDIS PDAS RICHARD GREENE, PRM FOR DAS RYAN, PRM/A RUSCH, PRM/A SHEEHAN, E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREF TH KN KS DPRK SUBJECT: EMBASSY BANGKOK NORTH KOREAN RESPONSE PLAN REF: (A) SUTTON/RAPSON E-MAIL 4/7/06 (B) RAPSON/ADLER E-MAIL 4/7/06 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON. REASON: 1.4 (C) ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see action request para 6. ¶2. (C) Summary: Deputy Chief of Mission and Political Counselor, along with a team of USG members who will have a role in assisting NKs at the Embassy, met on April 10 to discuss details of the walk-in operational plan. The Embassy NK response team has been briefed to respond to the situation in varying case scenarios. Post requests PRM assistance in providing the -- Statement Concerning the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program -- in Korean and English as soon as possible, authorizing IOM expenditure to house NKs, and sending TDY Korean speakers for translation. The Thai "Songkran" New Year holiday is a week-long celebration. Most RTG government offices, businesses, international organizations and embassies, including AmEmbassy Bangkok, will be close on Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14 and it may be difficult to contact the RTG and the ROK during this period. End summary. ¶3. (C) USG NORTH KOREAN (NK) RESPONSE TEAM PREPARATIONS ¶A. The RSO and local guards are briefed and prepared to direct and speak to NKs at a comfortable location to the side of the Embassy main gate. Taking into consideration rain and heat the location is sheltered and shaded. Water will be available. Guards will be provided with Korean-language cards to assist NKs until Embassy interpreter arrives on the scene. ¶B. Post has identified USG interpreters and they will be able to assist over the holiday. UNHCR also offered assistance from their ROK-seconded Korean speaker if required. ¶C. Media issues: Embassy PAO will address any media issues that arise and has prepared talking points. Safe house management and staff have been instructed to refer all media inquires to PAO. ¶D. Embassy NK response team has been briefed on transport arrangements to safehouse. Thai language taxi cards directing NK to safe house are available. If needed, Embassy personnel will accompany NKs to safe house. ¶E. Safe house options: IOM has reserved space at a guesthouse relatively close to the Embassy. The safe house will provide NKs with food and other supplies during their residence. Guesthouse staff has experience in housing transit refugees en route to a resettlement country. ¶F. UNHCR will be open on Friday, April 14 and have personnel on stand-by to visit NKs at the safe house in order to issue them UNHCR POC protection letter, if required, and begin process of resettlement country referral. ¶G. All USG officers present have been issued each other's cell phone numbers and are on standby to respond if this issue arises over the Thai holiday weekend. ¶4. (C) THAI NEW YEAR HOLIDAY PERIOD The Thai "Songkran" New Year holiday is a week-long celebration. Consequently, most RTG government offices, businesses, international organizations and embassies, including AmEmbassy Bangkok, will be closed on Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14 and will re-open again on Monday, April 17th. Due to internal planning and direct coordination with UNHCR and IOM, Post is prepared for NK refugees during this holiday period. Embassy NK response team members have been instructed to be as forward leaning as possible in dealing with this group. However, given that it is a major holiday in Thailand, it may be difficult to contact the RTG and the ROK during this period. It should be expected that coordination may be slower over the holiday than the normal work week. ¶5. (C) MINIMAL MEDIA ATTENTION DESIRED Post emphasizes the need for minimal media attention and request PRM to inform the NGO group who may be accompanying NKs to Bangkok to discourage media coverage. Any media attention may jeopardize the existing NK resettlement program to South Korea in not just Thailand but other countries where NK seek refuge. Considering the RTG and ROK's sensitivities on this matter, it is crucial that USG assistance to NK refugee proceeds as discreetly as possible. ¶6. (C) ACTION REQUEST FOR PRM. Post requests from PRM the Korean translation of the Statement Concerning the U.S. Refugee Admission program as soon as possible. UNHCR is briefed on the statement content and will require both language copies to forward to NKs to ensure that they are accurately informed of their resettlement options. Additionally, if NKs are to use IOM's safe house arrangement, IOM has requested that PRM issue a document authorizing IOM's expenditure on room and board for their accounting purposes. A cost breakdown can be provided if required, but it is estimated to cost approximately 20 USD per person per day. Three meals a day are included in this estimate. Lastly, Post request TDY Korean speaker support to interpret for NKs in foreseeable resettlement interviews and processing to the U.S. BOYCE