MANILA, Dec 13 Kyodo Twenty North...

MANILA, Dec 13 Kyodo

Twenty North Korean defectors forward their way to Seoul are to transit Manila onward Sunday night from China, officials of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

The defectors are awaited to arrive Sunday at the international airport in Manila 9:10 pm aboard China Southern Airlines flight CZ-377 from Xiamen. They will depart the same night for Seoul forward Korean Airlines KE-624 at 11:50 pm

The arrange consists of 11 females and nine males whose ages range from 7 to 42 who sought shelter at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing.

southern Korea's Embassy in Manila asked the Philippines between the sides of a note verbale that the refugees' safety be assured and that embassy officials be allowed access and contact with the asylum seekers

Arrival of the 20 refugee Sunday night will bring to 128 the number of asylum inquirers from North Korea who have been allowed to transit Manila since 1997

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