BEIJING – Forty-four men, women, and children using ladders clambered over a spiked fence around the Canadian Embassy yesterday in what appeared to be the biggest recent bid for asylum by North Koreans. One other man was stopped by police.

The group, which reportedly included two former political prisoners, was an embarrassing reminder of the dismal conditions in North Korea, whose isolationist, Stalinist dictatorship is officially China’s ally.

There was no immediate indication whether the incident might hinder Chinese diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to attend a new round of six-nation talks on Washington’s demand that the North up its nuclear weapons program. China is obligated by treaty to send home fleeing North Koreans, but hasn’t done so in cases that become public.

Tens of thousands of North Koreans fleeing famine and repression at home live in hiding in China’s northeast.

Hundreds have been allowed to leave for South Korea over the past three years after gaining refuge by dashing into embassies in China.