Thai departure of NKoreans bound for Seoul delayed
Seoul - The departure of 18 North Korean refugees bound for Seoul after being found hiding in Bangkok has been delayed due to security concerns, reports said Friday.
Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying the North Koreans were to leave Bangkok on a flight to Seoul late Thursday but the schedule changed after their departure was exposed to the media. "The delay stems from a security necessity raised during consultations among Thai, UNHCR and South Korean officials," he was quoted as saying. The 18 were among 175 North Koreans held by Thai authorities earlier this week while hiding in an abandoned house in Bangkok. Police believe they entered the country from the northern border with Myanmar two months ago. UNHCR spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey told AFP 16 were cleared by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to relocate to a third and country could leave for South Korea within days. The remaining two arrived in Bangkok before the others and their departure for Seoul had already been arranged by South Korean authorities. Most of the 175 North Koreans reportedly want to live in South Korea. A Thai court convicted most of the adult North Koreans of illegal entry and fined them 6,000 baht (160 dollars). None were able to pay, and were sentenced to 30 days in prison. Agence France Presse
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