Three alleged North Koreans have requested asylum to South Korea after dashing into the South Korean consular office in Beijing early Monday morning.

According to witnesses, 18 North Korean escapees tried to climb over the consulate's wall but 15 of them failed to enter the compound after they were stopped by Chinese security guards.

The South Korean Embassy is currently in the process of identifying the North Koreans.

Monday's incident came less than a week after 29 North Korean escapees entered a South Korean school in the Chinese capital.

At present, some 130 North Korean escapees are holed up at the consular section of Seoul's embassy in Beijing, demanding safe passage to South Korea.