DATE=1/20/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-244403 TITLE=KOREA DEFECTORS (L-ONLY) BYLINE=EUNICE YOON DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NORTH KOREA HAS ACCUSED SOUTH KOREA OF KIDNAPPING ONE OF ITS DIPLOMATS IN GERMANY. BUT AS EUNICE YOON REPORTS FROM SEOUL, SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS CALL THE ACCUSATION GROUNDLESS. TEXT: NORTH KOREA ALLEGED WEDNESDAY SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS KIDNAPPED ONE OF ITS DIPLOMATS IN GERMANY. NORTH KOREA'S STATE-RUN NEWS AGENCY REPORTED SOUTH KOREAN SPIES ABDUCTED KIM KYONG-PIL AND HIS WIFE LAST WEEK IN FRONT OF A HOTEL IN BERLIN. THE AGENCY SAID THE SOUTH LATER HANDED OVER THE PAIR TO THE UNITED STATES TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY. SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE DISMISSED THE ALLEGATIONS AS "TYPICAL NORTH KOREAN PROPAGANDA." THE SOUTH'S SPY AGENCY DENIES IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE INCIDENT. IT SAYS MR. KIM'S AND HIS WIFE'S ACTIONS WERE VOLUNTARY AND THAT THEY DEFECTED WHILE ON A TRIP TO FRANKFURT. NORTH KOREA HAS SINCE DEMANDED THE IMMEDIATE RETURN OF THE DIPLOMAT AND HIS WIFE. IT SAID THE INCIDENT MAY THREATEN PEACE ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA. MR. KIM WAS SENT TO GERMANY THREE YEARS AGO, AS AN ECONOMIC SECRETARY. SOUTH KOREAN NEWS MEDIA REPORT HE DEFECTED AFTER BEING REPRIMANDED FOR NOT BRINGING ENOUGH FOREIGN CURRENCY INTO HIS COUNTRY. MR. KIM AND HIS WIFE ARE REPORTEDLY NOW SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES. (SIGNED) NEB/EY/FC/JO 20-Jan-99 5:31 AM EST (1031 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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