Accordingly, the North Koreans aged between 15 and 22 were at the risk of forcible repatriation, the official at the foreign ministry said on condition of anonymity. Of them, seven are men and two are women.
The North Koreans, who fled their homeland to China, crossed the China-Laos border around May 9, he said. But they were caught by Lao police and detained at an immigration office in Vientiane, capital of the Southeast Asian country, around May 16.
The official said South Korea had asked Laos to allow them to go to Seoul, but Laos, in an unusual move, rejected it. Laos has been one of transit routes for the defection of North Koreans who wish to enter South Korea after fleeing their home country via China.
The foreign ministry plans to set up a task force to handle the case, he said.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com