The South Korean embassy in Beijing has refused to confirm the reported escape of a North Korean family, citing the safety of related parties.

Earlier reports said that 74-year-old South Korean POW Jang Pan-sun, who was captured during the Korean War, had escaped from the communist North along with five family members earlier this year.

An embassy official said the Seoul government, as a matter of principle, does not disclose details of the repatriation process for defectors.

He said the fact that Jang has family members surviving in the North and some detained in China may negatively affect repatriation negotiations.