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DATE=3/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246440
TITLE=THAILAND / NORTH KOREA (S & L)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK4
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: A NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT IS IN THAI GOVERNMENT HANDS AFTER 
WHAT WAS  AN APPARENT ATTEMPT BY HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN TO KIDNAP 
HIM.  THE DIPLOMAT HAD BEEN ACCUSED BY NORTH KOREAN AUTHORITIES 
OF FINANCIAL SWINDLING, IN CONNECTION WITH HIS POSITION AT THE 
NORTH KOREAN EMBASSY IN BANGKOK.  VOA SOUTHEAST ASIA 
CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS.
TEXT: POLICE IN NORTHEASTERN THAILAND ARE GUARDING HONG SUN-GYONG
AND HIS WIFE AFTER WHAT WAS APPARENTLY A BUNGLED ATTEMPT TO 
KIDNAP HIM AND TAKE HIM BACK TO NORTH KOREA.
THAI AUTHORITIES SAY A VAN CARRYING MR. HONG, HIS FAMILY AND FIVE
KIDNAPPERS BLEW A TIRE AND OVERTURNED ON A RURAL HIGHWAY NEAR THE
BORDER WITH LAOS TUESDAY AFTERNOON.  THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR 
FLED.  MR. HONG AND HIS WIFE INSISTED ON BEING TAKEN TO A 
HOSPITAL, WHERE MR. HONG REVEALED HIS IDENTITY AND ASKED FOR 
PROTECTION.  MR HONG'S SON DISAPPEARED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND IS 
STILL MISSING.
POLICE SAY THE KIDNAPPERS WERE TRYING TO TAKE MR. HONG AND HIS 
FAMILY TO LAOS, WHERE IT WOULD BE EASIER TO TAKE HIM BACK TO 
NORTH KOREA.
MR. HONG DISAPPEARED LATE LAST MONTH AFTER NORTH KOREAN 
AUTHORITIES ACCUSED HIM OF BILKING THE GOVERNMENT OF MILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS.
                          // REST OPT FOR LONG //
ACCORDING TO THE NORTH KOREAN EMBASSY IN BANGKOK, MR. HONG 
SWINDLED THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NORTH KOREAN PURCHASE OF SOME 
310-THOUSAND TONS OF RICE.  MR. HONG, THE THIRD-HIGHEST RANKING 
DIPLOMAT AT THE EMBASSY, WAS IN CHARGE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.  THE 
NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT OWES THAI SUPPLIERS SOME 70 MILLION 
DOLLARS FOR THE DEAL.
WHEN HE DISAPPEARED, NORTH KOREA REVOKED MR. HONG'S DIPLOMATIC 
STATUS AND SOUGHT THAI HELP IN APPREHENDING HIM.
PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS SAY NORTH KOREA'S AMBASSADOR TO THAILAND, CHON
JAE-SONG, HAS NOT RETURNED FROM A TRIP HOME AND HAS BEEN FIRED 
FROM HIS POST BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC
10-Mar-99 4:56 AM EST (0956 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.