ROKG OFFICIALLY RESPONDS TO USG NORTH KOREAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001108 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR CHA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2015 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL KS KN SUBJECT: ROKG OFFICIALLY RESPONDS TO USG NORTH KOREAN REFUGEE STRATEGY REF: A. SEOUL 772 ¶B. SEOUL 682 ¶C. STATE 31610 ¶D. SEOUL 471 ¶E. SEOUL 166 ¶F. SEOUL 155 ¶G. STATE 4712 Classified By: A/POL Sung Y. Kim. Reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) On April 4, Kim Ki-woong, Director of the Inter-Korean Policy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, presented the official ROKG response to our ref g demarche seeking support for the USG North Korean refugee strategy. The ROKG response (reprinted in paragraph 3) centered on three points: (1) should a specific case arise and if requested by the USG, the ROKG would assist UNHCR in confirming the identity of the asylum seeker; (2) if asked by host governments, the ROKG would say it had no objection to North Korean asylum seekers being admitted for U.S. resettlement of their own free will; and (3) in the case of a North Korean not accepted by the U.S. admission program, the ROKG would continue to accept individuals who wished to resettle in South Korea according to its principles and procedures. Kim emphasized that Seoul, although it generally accepts any North Korean wishing resettlement in the South, would continue to make its own decision on individual cases to demonstrate that its policy was separate from the U.S. program. He also apologized for the delay in delivering the ROKG response, saying that many ROKG officials had become involved due to the sensitivity of the issue. ¶2. (C) Director Kim reconfirmed that Seoul preferred to maintain the existing framework of bilateral meetings between South Korea, the United States, and UNHCR. Kim proposed holding the next USG-ROKG consultations on April 19. Poloff reiterated that Washington wanted these meeting to be productive and comprehensive and had earlier suggested at least two days of consultations. Poloff also provided Kim with a draft proposed agenda and draft operational plan for processing North Korean refugees in Thailand for ROKG consideration. Kim, however, reiterated that he thought it would not take more than a day of meetings. When asked about a possible conflict with inter-Korean ministerial meetings rumored in the press to be held around April 20, Kim said he expected inter-Korean talks to begin on April 25, so there would be no conflict with the USG-ROKG bilateral. ¶3. (SBU) TEXT OF ROKG RESPONSE TO USG NORTH KOREAN REFUGEE STRATEGY: We are fully aware of the efforts by the US government to accept North Korean Asylum seekers who wish to resettle in the US. With regard to the admission of North Korean asylum seeks to the US, our primary concern is to ensure the safety of the North Korean refugees and safeguard the mechanisms we are currently operating for their resettlement. We appreciate your consideration of our position in this process. Our position regarding your proposal and requests is as follows: -- Concerning the admission of North Korean asylum seekers to the US, we understand that all the necessary procedures such as consultations with the host government, investigation of the asylum seekers hoping to resettle in the US, and the sending of those eligible to the US, are being conducted under US control. --- As you have already made clear, we would ask that all necessary procedural measures regarding admission to the US be carried out in confidentiality, with the minimum of publicity and the greatest possible discretion. -- Should a specific case arise, and the US requests that the ROK government provide its assistance through the UNHCR for identity checks such as verification of the authenticity of North Korean asylum seekers, the ROK will cooperate to the extent possible. -- In the event that host governments inquire about our position on the US admission of North Korean asylum seekers, we will respond in the following manner: --- When a North Korean asylum seeker is admitted to the US of his or her own free will, the ROK government will raise no objections. --- In order to prevent these steps from disrupting the existing procedures for the resettlement of North Korean asylum seekers, we ask that all relevant processes and procedures be conducted under the strictest confidentiality. --- (Regarding whether those North Korean asylum seekers hoping to resettle in the US but who did not obtain a successful outcome in the examination process may be accepted into South Korea.) Our policy on North Korean asylum seekers is that, in accordance with out own relevant criteria and procedures, we accept all North Korean who wish, of their own free will, to resettle in South Korea. The results of the US screening process on a North Korean asylum seeker would have no bearing on the process of our reaching a decision on whether or not to receive them into ROK. -- Regarding the modalities for the meeting between Korea, the US and the UNHCR, we wish to maintain the existing framework of the bilateral meeting. We hope to hold an ROK-US bilateral meeting in Seoul in April. END TEXT. VERSHBOW