More N. Koreans seek embassy refuge

A North Korean trio arrived in Seoul July 15 after seeking refuge at the South Korean embassy in Beijing several weeks earlier

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A group of North Korean citizens seeking asylum are inside the South Korean embassy in Beijing and will likely depart Beijing for Seoul -- through a third country -- in the coming days, a diplomatic source has told CNN.

The source said seven to eight North Koreans entered the embassy early this month, but couldn't say if consultations on an exit strategy were underway between South Korean officials and the Chinese government.

China's Foreign Ministry had no comment.

In recent weeks small groups of citizens from North Korea have been quietly seeking refuge in the South Korean embassy -- where they stay for several days before moving on to a third country with little or no fanfare.

Seoul's policy is to accept North Korean asylum seekers, but not directly from China.

CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Beijing, meanwhile, has recently acquiesced in allowing them to depart China even though Beijing refuses to recognize the North Koreans as refugees.

The diplomatic maneuvering is complex because, while Beijing is bound by an agreement with Pyongyang to return escaped North Koreans, Chinese officials are also sensitive to international pressure not to force them back to almost certain and severe punishment.

Diplomatic pressure

Seoul, meanwhile, accepts the refugees but does so in a way not to anger the Chinese, whose cooperation is necessary to get the refugees out.

In separate incidents earlier this northern summer Chinese police entered the Japanese consulate in Shenyang as well as the consular section of the South Korean embassy in Beijing, scuffling with asylum seekers who had broken in, as well as diplomatic staff.

Under intense diplomatic pressure, Chinese officials appear to have changed tack and returned to a more low profile approach.

As many as 250,000 North Koreans are estimated to be living under cover in Northern China along their border, blending into China's own ethnic Korean population.