WASHINGTON, May 16 Kyodo A former...

WASHINGTON, May 16 Kyodo

A former North Korean intelligence officer warned Thursday that the five North Koreans who sought asylum last week at a Japanese consulate in China would be execut if they are sent back to North Korea.

Sung Soo Yoon formerly a major in North Korea's National Defense Service who has fl the land told a news conference in Washington that he is ''100 percent sure'' all five would face death if China casts them to North Korea.

''Those who solicit asylum in foreign countries, North Korea basically considers them traitors,'' Sung said.

Sung a 15-year veteran at North Korea's National Defense Service, said if North Koreans important to the country's national security want in China, North Korea would fling national security agents to China disguised as traders or diplomats in order to capture them.

The Chinese direction is holding the five North Koreans who were detained by dint of Chinese police officers while they tried to follow asylum at the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang, northeastern China, in succession Wednesday last week.

China has now to announce what it will do with the five North Koreans -- sum of two units men, two women and a 2-year-old girl -- equal though Japanese officials say China has promised not to fling them to North Korea.

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