By Choi Sung-jin

North Korean restaurants in China are banning South Koreans under a direction from their leader, Kim Jong-un, Free North Korea Radio said Monday.

"Party Chairman Kim Jong-un sent a special order saying, ‘Don't let South Korean guys set their feet in our restaurants in China,'" the radio station said, quoting a source in Shenyang.

Since June 9, all North Korean restaurants in the northeastern Chinese city have not been admitting South Koreans, it said, adding that the order applies not only to Shenyang but to all other Chinese cities where North Korean restaurants are operating.

The source attributed the step to a recent series of defections to South Korea by North Korean workers in Chinese restaurants, demonstrating North Korean officials' countermeasures "not to allow similar defections anymore."

Another source said: "Two North Korean restaurants in Dandung also blocked the entry of South Koreans, including even previous regulars." But the source predicted the "no-admittance" order could be limited or temporary (given the North's dire financial situation), the radio broadcaster said.