BEIJING, Oct 25: A group of North Korean refugees attempted to enter a South Korean consulate building in Beijing on Monday but only three managed to take shelter inside, South Korean officials and media said.

"The case is under investigation at the moment," a South Korean embassy spokesman told AFP, declining to confirm how many people forced their way in.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that 18 people claiming to be North Koreans attempted to clamber over the wall of the consulate at 5:00 am (2100 GMT Sunday) in an apparent bid to seek asylum.

The consulate is located separate to the embassy.

Scuffles took place as 14 of the group forced their way in but only two women and a boy were escorted by South Korean officials into the consulate, it said. The others were arrested by Chinese security police or fled, Yonhap said.

Workers were seen repairing barbed wire that had been cut by the refugees.

The incident occurred just days after 29 people cut through barbed wire to enter a school for South Koreans in Beijing last Friday.

Hundreds of North Koreans have been allowed to defect to South Korea after taking refuge at diplomatic missions in China.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, currently on an Asian tour, said Sunday that North Korea's lack of human rights was forcing its citizens to seek asylum abroad. -AFP