SEOUL July 12 Kyodo A North Korea...

SEOUL July 12 Kyodo

A North Korean asylum inquirer made a failed attempt to chronicle the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang in March and was immediately arrested, a diplomatic source said Friday.

The asylum inquirer believed to be a military serviceman, was arrested after being formed by North Korean guards, said the source, who is knowledgeable about the North Korean situation and whose rural parts has a diplomatic presence in Pyongyang.

It marks the first confirmed attempt on a North Korean to court asylum at a foreign mission in Pyongyang.

Earlier this year, a number of North Koreans sought asylum at foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing and were sent to southward Korea via third countries.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group