THE US today said it would soon begin accepting North Korean refugees, as President George W. Bush pushed to the fore human rights concerns in the Stalinist state.

The White House said Mr Bush tomorrow would hold a rare meeting with relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, seen as part of his campaign to internationalise rights issues in the state he has called the "axis of evil".

"We will be in a position relatively soon to welcome North Korean refugees in the United States," said Jay Lefkowitz, Mr Bush's special envoy for human rights in North Korea.

The administration has overcome bureaucratic hurdles and security concerns to set up an appropriate mechanism to accept the refugees, Mr Lefkowitz told a Congressional hearing, where lawmakers criticised the administration for a delay in accepting the refugees.

Mr Bush had signed a law 18 months ago to tackle human rights issues in North Korea, including accepting North Korean refugees for domestic resettlement.

"I believe that we are now in a position to begin to process refugees in an appropriate way, in a safe way without jeopardising (their safety and our security)," Mr Lefkowitz said.

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He expressed frustration over China's refusal to cooperate with the United States or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to alleviate the plight of North Korean refugees, most of whom are in China.

Washington could force China into "arbitration" at the world body to resolve the longstanding issue, he said.

Up to 300,000 North Koreans have fled to China, escaping oppression and starvation in their Stalinist homeland, human rights groups said.

But China normally sends North Korean refugees back to their country, where some are believed to have been executed.

China claims they are "economic migrants" and is obligated to repatriate them under an agreement with Pyongyang on border security.

"We may want to press the UNHCR to take things to the next step," Mr Lefkowitz said.

"Certainly, one of the options available that should be on the table is the question of forcing Beijing into arbitration."

It is not known how many North Korean refugees would be accepted initially into the United States. Nearly 8000 North Koreans have so far resettled in South Korea.

Mr Bush's efforts to highlight human rights concerns in North Korea may further complicate efforts to resolve a four-year nuclear row between it and the US.

Six-nation negotiations to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive were suspended in November after Washington imposed financial sanctions on the Stalinist state over counterfeiting and money laundering charges.

An administration official confirmed the White House meeting tomorrow between Mr Bush and a group of relatives of Japanese kidnapped by North Korean agents in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The kidnapping issue is a highly emotional topic in Japan and overshadows other subjects on the table with North Korea, such as its nuclear weapons and missile programs that directly threaten Japan's security.

Among those who will be greeted by Mr Bush is 70-year-old Sakie Yokota, whose daughter was abducted from Japan by North Korean agents at the age of 13 in 1977.

"I pray that the people of Japan and America, and all freedom-loving people of the world, in unison, will clearly demonstrate to North Korea that we are really angry," a sobbing Yokota told the Congressional hearing today.

"I plead for all countries to join us in saying that we will not forgive the abductions, all the victims must be returned immediately or we will initiate economic sanctions."

North Korea has admitted kidnapping Japanese civilians to train its spies and in 2002 handed over to Tokyo five victims and their families.

Japan believes at least eight more are alive and kept under wraps because they know secrets.

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