An official of the Seoul-based Durihana Missionary Foundation says some 30 North Korean defectors are waiting to be granted asylum in the United States.

The Reverend Cheon Ki-won of the missionary group told Radio Free Asia Monday that a second group of some 25 to 30 North Korean defectors will soon arrive in the U.S. for asylum after six North Korean refugees were granted asylum last May. The North Koreans are now at Thai immigration facilities.

Cheon said that the matter will be settled soon as U.S. assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration affairs, Ellen Sauerbrey, is visiting Southeast Asian countries to examine refugee issues until early next month.

The pastor also said that there are some one-hundred-30 more North Korean defectors other than the one-hundred-75 who were recently detained by the Thai police.

Under the 2004 North Korea Human Rights Act, Washington is actively accepting North Korean defectors.