[Courtesy of Xinhua News]
A group of 13 North Korean restaurant workers has defected to South Korea from an unidentified third country in a case demonstrating Pyongyang's worsening financial woes aggravated by international sanctions, officials said Friday.
The group included a male manager and 12 female workers dispatched by North Korea to one of its state-controlled restaurants abroad, the South's unification ministry said.
They have been under protection by security authorities since they flew into South Korea on Thursday, it said.
"This is the first group defection by North Korean restaurant workers," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told reporters, refusing to disclose the location of their restaurant for security and diplomatic reasons.
Jeong quoted one defector as saying that there was a "unanimous" decision among the defectors to seek asylum in South Korea
Before coming to Seoul, the defectors had been under strong pressure from Pyongyang to transmit more money to their homeland, he said, adding many North Korean restaurants are now in a financial pinch because of strengthened UN sanctions which followed Pyongyang's nuclear and long-range rocket tests.
The defection dealt a blow to Pyongyang's recent campaign to glorify leader Kim Jong-un ahead of the ruling communist party's congress in May.
North Korean restaurants abroad have served as one of Pyongyang's important sources of hard currency.
South Korean government data showed there are about 130 North Korean restaurants operating in a dozen countries. Pyongyang operates dozens of restaurants in China alone.
Diners are attracted by young North Korean waitresses in traditional dress serving Korean delicacies, followed by a nightly show featuring song, dance and photo opportunities.
Western intelligence officials, however, say North Korea's global network of state-run restaurants often engage in covert espionage activities or have been linked to money laundering cases.
The defection came as Washington and its allies stepped up a diplomatic push to implement strict sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council in March against the isolated country.
"It is unusual for a group of North Koreans to defect to South Korea when UN sanctions are being enforced," Jeong said, adding the defectors claimed to have been disillusioned with North Korea's ideological campaign by watching South Korean TV dramas and movies.
South Korea's foreign ministry has warned its citizens travelling abroad to avoid dining in North Korean restaurants over fears they are funding the cash-strapped communist state.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
North Korean restaurants abroad have served as one of Pyongyang's important sources of hard currency.
South Korean government data showed there are about 130 North Korean restaurants operating in a dozen countries. Pyongyang operates dozens of restaurants in China alone.
Diners are attracted by young North Korean waitresses in traditional dress serving Korean delicacies, followed by a nightly show featuring song, dance and photo opportunities.
Western intelligence officials, however, say North Korea's global network of state-run restaurants often engage in covert espionage activities or have been linked to money laundering cases.
The defection came as Washington and its allies stepped up a diplomatic push to implement strict sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council in March against the isolated country.
"It is unusual for a group of North Koreans to defect to South Korea when UN sanctions are being enforced," Jeong said, adding the defectors claimed to have been disillusioned with North Korea's ideological campaign by watching South Korean TV dramas and movies.
South Korea's foreign ministry has warned its citizens travelling abroad to avoid dining in North Korean restaurants over fears they are funding the cash-strapped communist state.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
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