U.S.-BOUND NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES BELIEVE RELATIVES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002565 SIPDIS SIPDIS GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2016 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL KN KS TH DPRK SUBJECT: U.S.-BOUND NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES BELIEVE RELATIVES IN GRAVE DANGER IF THEIR IDENTITIES ARE REVEALED REF: A. BANGKOK 2329 ¶B. BANGKOK 2296 ¶C. BANGKOK 2202 Classified By: SUSAN SUTTON, POLITICAL COUNSELOR, REASONS 1.4 (B,D). ¶1. (C) Refcoord and Deputy Refcoord met May 2 with the six North Korean refugees approved by DHS for U.S. resettlement to follow up on concerns expressed by some of the refugees in their separate resettlement interviews about the safety of relatives in North Korea (DPRK). ¶2. (C) All of the refugees expressed serious worry about their faces or names becoming public and getting picked up by the DPRK government. The refugees said that the DPRK government would track down their immediate and extended relatives and execute them. When asked how the DPRK could do this, the refugees responded that it would not be difficult since the North Korean population was small and the DPRK population registration system was comprehensive. The faces alone would be enough. One of the refugees asked about the possibility of being provided a face mask in case photographers were present upon arrival in the United States. He also asked whether a name change would be possible to reduce the risk. ¶3. (C) Refcoord responded that the USG would honor the refugees' right to privacy and would not announce where the refugees would be resettled or comment on their individual cases. NGOs or others might seek information about the refugees but the refugees themselves would have the right to decide whether or not to respond. BOYCE