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10 Koreans Enter Japanese Embassy in Bangkok in Apparent Asylum Bid
AP Breaking ^ | Jul 31, 2003 | Alisa Tang Associated Press Writer

Posted on 07/31/2003 3:56:37 AM PDT by Kaslin

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Ten Koreans, possibly from the communist North, sneaked into the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok on Thursday, diplomats said, apparently seeking political asylum.

The group - consisting of four men, four women, a boy and a girl - entered the embassy compound through a gate when it opened to let a car in, said embassy spokesman Toshihisa Takata. They passed beside the car shouting "North Korea" in English.

"They are safely in the building of the Japanese Embassy. We are now investigating their names and their wishes, those sorts of things," Takata told reporters.

He said they speak only Korean. "They don't speak Japanese or English but we are trying to communicate with them," he said.

"About whether or not they are trying to seek asylum we are investigating," Takata said.

A security guard stopped them inside the gate and they were escorted into the building where they were later provided lunch.

"It seems to me their health condition is normal and they seem to be reasonably relaxed at the moment," Takata said, adding that he doesn't know how long they had been in Thailand.

In the past, North Koreans have attempted to sprint into Japanese missions in China to seek political refuge.

In Tokyo, the national Kyodo News, citing unnamed sources, said the Foreign Ministry was cautioning embassies and consulates abroad that people who have fled from North Korea may be asking for protection.

In March, four people, all apparently from North Korea, entered the Japanese School in China's capital carrying letters asking for Tokyo's help in seeking asylum.

In May last year, five asylum-seeking North Koreans dashed into a Japanese consulate in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang and were forcibly removed by Chinese authorities. The incident spurred recriminations between Beijing and Tokyo.

Scores of North Korean asylum-seekers have sought refuge in foreign missions in China over past years.

As its biggest ally, China has a treaty with Pyongyang requiring it to send back any illegal escapees. Yet, it hasn't always done so in cases that have become public for fear of international backlash, and many asylum-seekers have eventually made their way to South Korea via third countries.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: asylum; japan; koreandefectors
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To: Mamzelle
thank you
141 posted on 08/05/2003 8:40:08 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Still think the Administration's BIG failure was not to dispense with N.Korea before Iraq!)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
You're very welcome. It's time that the public understood just how unhelpful, discriminatory and self-absorbed are the Japanese. We need to build policies now that will insist that they take responsibility as befits their wealth and station in the world, and not allow them to posit foolish excuses (like crowded buses) to avoid this duty.
142 posted on 08/05/2003 8:45:18 AM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Mamzelle
Hmm. I see.
143 posted on 08/05/2003 8:53:24 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Still think the Administration's BIG failure was not to dispense with N.Korea before Iraq!)
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To: Mamzelle
It's not anti semetic to point out that the entire Middle Eastern issue is framed by race.

It was you who said that the Japanese were the most racially biased people on Earth.

I only pointed out that many nations have civil wars based on race.

Since you seem unconvinced by the Israeli-Palestinian issue, perhaps you can review recent civil strife in Rwanda, Uganda, the Baltic States, or Vietnam???

Your slanted view of the Japanese appears to lack a rounded view.

144 posted on 08/05/2003 8:59:37 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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To: Mamzelle
It's time that the public understood just how unhelpful, discriminatory and self-absorbed are the Japanese

Pot, meet kettle...

Good thing the fates of piss poor North Koreans aren't left up to you and your hangups, where ever they came from.

Did a Japanese kid bite you at school when you were young or something?

145 posted on 08/05/2003 9:05:17 PM PDT by Constantine XIII
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To: AmericanInTokyo
ahn-nyong-ha-se-yo!

I just hope they say..."kahm-sa-hahm-ni-da"
146 posted on 08/05/2003 9:14:12 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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To: bonesmccoy
OK, whatever. It's been awhile since I was in the states.

And actually, the promo for my first appartment wasn't really funny, you know. It's strange that a person taking such extravagant pleasure in dwelling on the plight of Japanese in America should think such a sign funny, but I guess that's your way of teaching me a lesson, or something.

Why do you think my residence should be in either Shinjuku or Roppongi? That's a kind of slight or something, right?

You're quickly cracking up to have just the level of tolerance that I'd surmised.

147 posted on 08/05/2003 9:15:20 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Actually Reagan was in a long line of Republican activity which helped bring citizenship rights to asians and Japanese in America.

It was under Ike's leadership that the Walter-McCarran act was passed and gave citizenship to people of Japanese descent.

It was under Ford that the FDR Executive Order incarcerating Americans of Japanese descent was repealed.

It was under Reagan that the Civil Rights Act of 1988 was passed by a Democrat controlled Congress. Nevertheless, the POTUS had to sign the bill and he was convinced through a personal recollection that the President chose to sign the bill.

It was under Bush that the token reparations began.

It was under Clinton that the educational fund was stalled by a failure to appropriate funds.
148 posted on 08/05/2003 9:44:48 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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To: gaijin
sorry if my sarcastic laugh came across the wrong way. I was laughing because signs of racism exist in many nations. Still, the sign was not ethnic as much as "foreign". The issue reminds one of the specialized laws which confronted Japanese in America for 100+ years, but less harsh.

Since the sign aligned hostesses and foreigners, I guessed that the place must have been in an area frequented by hostesses and foreigners. Shinjuku and Roppongi are likely candidates.

If I was guessing wrong, a slight was not intended. It was only a guess.
149 posted on 08/05/2003 9:50:37 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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To: bonesmccoy
Oh, OK.

The place was in Saitama --not really near a prominent pleasure-quarters at all.

150 posted on 08/05/2003 10:21:38 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: gaijin
Saitama is a suburb...kinda like Bethesda is to DC or Palo Alto to SF.

Which station?

Omiya?

Yono?

Urawa?

How's that JR line to Asakusa in the morning?

151 posted on 08/05/2003 10:23:39 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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To: bonesmccoy
All the nations that you want to talk about are third-world catastrophes. The subject of this thread is not some distraction you want to introduce, but NK refugees seeking a home--probably a temporary home.

Japan was the embassy to which they fled. Japan is not a third-world catastrophe but an affluent and developed first-world nation that has much directly at stake in relieving the pressures of NK. Japan is wealthy and free in large part because of the sacrifices of Americans about fifty years ago--and the same can be said of SKorea.

They attempt to find excuses to accept some refugees--ridiculous, selfish excuses like--"My bus is crowded."

Or, in your case, "Let's talk about the Jews and get off the subject of the article."

The US ought to insist that Japan help with some of the refugees. And we ought to SCOFF at infantile excuses like "My bus is crowded."

152 posted on 08/06/2003 12:27:56 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Constantine XIII
Whenever you'd like to discuss an issue, let me know, kid.
153 posted on 08/06/2003 12:29:14 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Mamzelle
The subject is actually your misguided interpretation and racist opinion of Japanese.

It is particularly humorous that you appear to be the last individual to realize this.
154 posted on 08/06/2003 3:28:16 PM PDT by bonesmccoy (Defeat the terrorists... Vaccinate!)
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