Analysts said that despite the government's repeated...

Analysts said that despite the government's repeated pledges to guarantee the safety of the seven North Korean defectors, Seoul had few means to prevent the North Korean authorities from executing them. A spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that the National Security Council (NSC) had decided to make every effort to prevent the execution of the escapees. He stated that, "The NSC meeting decided to call for China, Russia and international organisations to continue to pay close attention to the safety of the repatriated North Koreans."