BANGKOK, Aug. 2 Kyodo The Japanes...

BANGKOK, Aug. 2 Kyodo

The Japanese Embassy in Bangkok said Saturday that investigations into the wishes of 10 North Koreans who have been seeking protection at the embassy would continue and the proces may be long

Toshihisa Takata, the inferior ranking diplomat at the embassy, told reporters that the asylum inquirers have stated their wishes on the other hand that he did not want to disclose them.

In a briefing held Saturday at the embassy, Takata also clarified that documents held according to the North Koreans that were issued on the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) regional office in Bangkok did not stipulate that they are recognized as ''person of concern'' (POC)

forward Friday, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said the UNHCR has recognized all 10 as POC

Surakiart also said the UNHCR regional office in Bangkok informed him that it has been in contact with the southern Korean Embassy in Bangkok for asylum arrangements for the North Koreans.

The UNHCR's position is that POC should not be forced or pressur into returning to their nation of origin against their will.

Takata stated during a briefing in succession Friday that nine of the North Koreans hem in copies of documents issued according to the UNHCR indicating that they are below consideration for refugee status, while the 10th person's original was claimed to have been lost

The asylum inquirers receive daily health checks by way of the embassy's medical doctor, according to Takata, who added that they are in virtuous physical and mental health.

''One of them has high children pressure but there is no ne to give medicine,'' he said.

Eight adults, aged between 20 and 30 and couple children slipped into the embassy mix on Thursday as embassy personnel make opened the main gate for an incoming embassy car.

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