§ Mr. Canavanasked the Lord Privy Seal how many visa applications have been made since May 1979 by citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea wishing to visit the United Kingdom; how many have been granted; how many have been refused; how many are still pending; and what are the reasons for any refusals or delays.
§ Mr. LuceSince May 1979, 196 North Koreans, many of them resident in Japan, have made visa applications to visit the United Kingdom. Of these 178 were granted, six applications lapsed before a final decision was reached, eight were refused and four are still pending. Visas were refused to a North Korean family of five persons because it was not clear that they would be able to obtain entry to any other country after staying in the United Kingdom; 387W visas were also refused to a group of three North Koreans because of the documents put forward in support of the applications. The four applications still pending were received by our embassy in Paris on 22 January and are still under consideration.