11 N. Koreans Want a Warmer Country
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United Press International
TOKYO — Eleven North Koreans whose disabled 50-ton ship drifted into the Japanese port of Fukui on the Japan Sea coast Tuesday have asked not to be returned to North Korea and want asylum in a warmer country, authorities said Thursday.
Foreign Ministry officials said they are trying to determine the wishes of the group and to which nation they want to go. Japan generally does not grant political asylum to defectors but helps arrange safe passage to third nations for humanitarian reasons.
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