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DATE=3/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247010
TITLE=THAILAND / NORTH KOREA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GERALDINE CARROLL
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  
INTRO:  THAILAND HAS ORDERED THE EXPULSION OF SIX NORTH KOREAN 
DIPLOMATS, FOLLOWING THE APPARENT BUNGLED KIDNAPPING OF A FELLOW 
ENVOY.  PYONGYANG ACCUSES THE FORMER NORTH KOREAN EMBASSY 
EMPLOYEE OF EMBEZZLING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.   GERALDINE CARROLL 
REPORTS FROM BANGKOK. 
TEXT:   THE THAI GOVERNMENT SAYS THE NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMATS MUST 
LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITHIN 72 HOURS.  THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SURIN 
PITSUWAN SAYS THE SIX EMBASSY STAFF MEMBERS BEING EXPELLED WERE 
INVOLVED IN THE KIDNAPPING OF FORMER NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT HONG 
SUN-KYONG, HIS WIFE AND SON, AFTER THEY WENT INTO HIDING EARLIER 
THIS MONTH.  
NORTH KOREA ALLEGES MR. HONG STOLE MONEY WHICH WAS TO BE USED TO 
BUY 310 THOUSAND TONS OF RICE FROM THAILAND. 
THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS CONSIDERED THE 
SITUATION CAREFULLY AND THAT EXPELLING THE DIPLOMATS IS THE 
APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION.  
THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THE NORTH KOREAN EMBASSY HAS 
AGREED TO RELEASE MR. HONG'S SON. (EDS:  RELEASE SKEDDED AT 1100 
GMT.  WATCH C-N WIRE AND MAKE COPY CONFORM)  THAI POLICE BELIEVE 
HE HAS BEEN HELD AT THE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK FOR TWO WEEKS.  MR. 
HONG AND HIS WIFE HAVE BEEN  DECLARED PERSONA-NON- GRATA BY THE 
THAI GOVERNMENT AND REMAIN IN THE  CUSTODY OF POLICE.  
WHAT THE THAI GOVERNMENT CALLS A "BOTCHED KIDNAPPING" OCCURRED 
TWO WEEKS AGO, AFTER MR. HONG AND HIS FAMILY WENT  INTO HIDING 
WHEN THE ALLEGATIONS OF EMBEZZLEMENT FIRST  EMERGED.   MR. HONG 
AND HIS WIFE WERE APPARENTLY TRAVELING TO LAOS WITH SEVERAL NORTH
KOREAN DIPLOMATS WHEN THEY WERE DISCOVERED BY THAI POLICE 
FOLLOWING A CAR ACCIDENT.  
THE INCIDENT HAS CAUSED A RIFT IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THAILAND AND 
NORTH  KOREA.  THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS THE ATTEMPTED 
KIDNAPPING OF THE HONG FAMILY WAS AN INSULT TO THAI  SOVEREIGNTY.
THAI POLICE BELIEVE FOUR OTHER NORTH KOREANS, SUSPECTED OF 
INVOLVEMENT IN THE KIDNAPPING, ARE BEING KEPT IN THE EMBASSY.
NORTH KOREAN ENVOY LI DO SOP -- WHO ARRIVED IN THAILAND LAST WEEK
-- HAS EXPRESSED HIS GOVERNMENT'S REGRET OVER THE AFFAIR. 
(SIGNED)
NEB / GC / GC / WD
23-Mar-99 4:03 AM EST (0903 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.