A North Korean diplomat paid a total of 1.5 million yuan ($230,942) in damages to the families of three Chinese victims who he killed in a drunk driving accident last month, a source in the Chinese border city of Dandong said Tuesday.

The accident took place on Feb. 7 in Dandong. The North Korean consular official killed the three Chinese people while driving drunk, although the exact circumstances of the accident were not immediately known.

At the time of the accident, the North Korean diplomat had taken part in an event to celebrate North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Feb. 7. The launch was condemned by the international community as cover for the test of a long-range ballistic missile launch.

According to the source, who received the information from local public security authorities, North Korea sent the money to the diplomat because he could not afford to pay the money by himself.

It is rare for North Korean authorities to send money to resolve a car accident involving one of its diplomats, the source added.

"Local people were very angered by the car accident caused by a North Korean diplomat," the source said. "North Korea may have sent the money swiftly to appease such public sentiment." The families of each victim was paid 500,000 yuan in compensation. (Yonhap)