Refugees flood S Korea mission

North Koreans frequently make a dash for foreign embassies

South Korea has shut down its consular services in Beijing because the embassy is dealing with so many North Korean refugees, according to diplomatic sources.

Diplomats would not say how many North Koreans were inside the embassy, other than to confirm "the number... is beyond our capacity".

The closure means the embassy will not be able to issue foreign visas to anyone wishing to visit South Korea. It is not clear how long the consular services will be unavailable.

North Korean refugees frequently storm South Korean embassies in a bid to find a permanent escape from hunger and repression at home.

An embassy official told the French news agency AFP that the North Korean asylum seekers currently inside the South's mission had been trickling in over several days.

"They did not all come at one time, they have been coming continuously, some days 10 or more, some days only one or two."

According to a BBC correspondent in Beijing, groups working with North Korean defectors said the total figure could be as high as 300.

A sign outside the embassy on Monday said the consulate was closed due to "an internal adjustment".

North Korean refugees typically escape through China, which shares a border with the North. If they are able to make it to an embassy in Beijing, then they are often sent to South Korea, usually via a third country.

But thousands remain stranded on the Chinese border - waiting for help to make the dangerous journey to Seoul. If they are discovered by Chinese police, they are almost certain to be returned home. China has a treaty with its ally North Korea which obliges it to send refugees back.