SEOUL : A United Nations rights envoy Thursday highlighted the "heartbreaking" situation of North Korean refugees forced to abandon children conceived during their escape to South Korea.

Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, raised the issue of refugees who have a child with a national of another country -- an apparent reference to China -- while in transit to the South.

"This heartbreaking situation invites bilateral and other links to enable them (children) to exit from other countries and reunite in (South Korea)," he said in a statement at the start of a press conference.

Vitit did not identify any country but virtually all North Korean refugees flee initially to China. Some spend months or years there before trying to move on to South Korea, usually through a third country.

China's policy of repatriating those North Korean refugees it catches as economic migrants has been strongly criticised by rights groups.

Vitit also highlighted the difficulties in reuniting refugees with family members left behind in North Korea, saying they may face intimidation by authorities if the identity of refugees is disclosed.

The UN envoy was speaking after a six-day fact-finding visit to South Korea. He is barred from visiting the North.

Vitit also called for greater efforts to resettle refugees in South Korea, saying torture victims and older people may need special help.

Over the past half-century more than 10,000 people have fled the impoverished hardline communist state and resettled in the South, the vast majority of them in recent years.

Vitit praised Seoul's educational and training programmes for young refugees but said torture victims and older escapees "may need longer support systems" to adapt.

In the statement he urged longer-term help for refugees including social, educational, employment and psychological support.

Vitit proposed a publicity campaign highlighting resettlement success stories to raise public sympathy and understanding for refugees.

Many are unskilled or semi-skilled workers or farmers, and face problems finding jobs they can handle in the affluent industrialised South. Some say they face discrimination by employers in their new country.

Vitit talked to long-term former refugees and also visited the government's Hanawon training centre for new arrivals. This offers classes in cultural studies and skills-related training.

New arrivals are also taught basic skills such as how to ride the subway, use a mobile phone and buy goods in a supermarket.

- AFP/ir