C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004852

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

BANGKOK FOR REFCOORD, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2011
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV PHUM RP KS TH CM
SUBJECT: (SBU) NORTH KOREAN CITIZEN APPRACHES EMBASSY
MANILA FOR HELP WITH RESETTLEMENT REQUEST

REF: A. E-MAIL MANILA(ROWAN) - EMB
BANGKOK(HONNOLD/ADLER) 11/29 AND
11/09/2006

B. STATE 25824

C. 05 STATE 174716

Classified By: DCM Paul W. Jones. Reason: 1.4 (d)



1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 8.


2. (C) On November 9, a North Korean woman, Ms. Hyae Yeong
PAK, approached the Embassy's outdoor reception area to
express interest in resettlement in the United States.
Emboffs also interviewed Ms. Pak, using guidance provided by
PRM. (She was accompanied by Mr. Ki Won Chun, a pastor based
in South Korea, as well as two members of the South Korean
family who are now taking care of her.) Subject showed a
"UNHCR Certificate of Registration" issued by UNHCR Bangkok
on August 21, 2006. She said that she had come to Manila
because her stay in Bangkok was "about to expire," and that
she hoped that her case for resettlement would proceed more
quickly in Manila. (Refugee Coordinator office at Embassy
Bangkok has confirmed that she was under consideration for
resettlement to the U.S.; however, she was not/not among the
16 North Koreans approved for processing by the Royal Thai
Government.)


3. (C) Per reftel insructions, Embassy Manila then
referred Ms. Pak to UNHCR in Manila. Emboff followed up with
direct contact with UNHCR representative Atty Rico Salcedo on
November 9, and learned that UNHCR had already put Ms. Pak in
touch with its implementing NGO, Community and Family
Services International (CFSI). On November 14, Ms. Pak met
directly with UNHCR and, according to Atty Salcedo, clearly
expressed an interest in resettling in the U.S. Ms. Pak
continues to stay with the same South Korean family. On
November 27, Emboff spoke with a member of this family, who
reported that she is doing fine, apart from her continuing
interest in resettlement.


4. (SBU) Ms. Pak entered the Philippines on a Republic of
Korea passport, issued in another name, which had been
photo-substituted with Ms. Pak,s photograph. Ms. Pak has
since disclosed this fact to the UNHCR.


5. (C) Biographic Information: Ms. Hyae Yeong Pak (DOB: 5
Jan 1980)

-- Ms. Pak said she was in Bangkok for three months. She
had been in China for five years prior to her arrival in
Bangkok. Prior to fleeing to China, Ms. Pak said she lived
in a border town in North Korea and worked in a call center
screening incoming phone calls. She escaped to China twice,
each time because of severe hunger. On her first escape, she
stayed with a Chinese farmer. Though not married, she
lived with him as his wife. This farmer had a falling out
with a neighbor who then turned both their names over to the
police. He was fined and she was sent back to North Korea,
where she found that her mother and father had been sent to a
mountain camp. She was easily identified because her Chinese
language skills were so poor.

-- After her second escape, she worked in a bar. She stayed
with this job in China for about 5 years. She said she had
virtually no contact with other NK refugees. She finally
bought the passport and was able to leave. She said that a
5-year wait for a passport is relatively short. During her
time in China, she had sporadic contact with relatives in
North Korea.


6. (C) Action request: The Embassy requests guidance on
whether post and / or Embassy Bangkok (Refugee Coordinator)
should take further steps in processing the case of Ms. Kim.


7. (U) This message has been coordinated with Embassy
Bangkok.
KENNEY