Refugees seeking political asylum stormed the Canadian embassy in Beijing, BBC Asia reported today.
A group of men, women and children disguised themselves as construction workers and used home-made laters to scale the 10-foot walls around the embassy compound. The group appeared to be North Koreans hoping to gain passage to South Korea via refugee status on Canadian soil.
China by law treats North Koreans as illegal immigrants and sends them home. Beijing has traditionally been Pyonyang’s closest ally and is loathe to sour relations by allowing asylum-seekers to pour over its borders.
Increasing numbers have attempted this manoever in recent years. More than 460 North Koreans were sent to South Korea from Vietnam in July, angering Pyongyang. Groups larger than 40 at a time attempting to gain asylum are thought to be organized by non-governmental organizations.
More than 200,000 refugees are thought to be hiding out in China.
