New US bill would give "first asylum" to North Korean refugees

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1520&ncid=1520&e=10&u=/afp/20031121/pl_afp/us_nkorea_refugees_031121214547

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - A new bill introduced in the US Congress offers asylum or refugee status to North Koreans fleeing persecution in their Stalinist homeland and to encourage US families to adopt young North Koreans.


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The North Korea (news - web sites) Freedom Act also aims to bolster US support for the role of the United Nations (news - web sites) High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and ease the plight of North Koreans facing persecution in China.


North Koreans who arrive in the United States will be guaranteed safe haven and assistance under a "first asylum" policy, if the legislation, sponsored by Senators Sam Brownback and Evan Bayh becomes law.


Previous efforts to grant refugee status to North Koreans by the United States -- seen by some as a way to unleash destabilising refugee flows that could trigger the collapse of the Stalinist state, have foundered