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A North Korean diplomat in Cuba defected to South Korea together with his household in November final yr, the South Korean spy company has mentioned, in what can be the highest-profile defection lately.
In a quick assertion, the Nationwide Intelligence Service confirmed a South Korean newspaper’s report that Ri Il Kyu, 52, North Korean counsellor of political affairs in Cuba, defected final yr.
As a counsellor, Mr Ri was tasked with blocking rival South Korea and outdated ally Cuba from forging diplomatic ties, Chosun Ilbo reported.
The two international locations established diplomatic ties in February this yr, weakening Pyongyang’s skinny community of allies.
Mr Ri mentioned he didn’t reveal his plan even to his household till hours earlier than he pulled off the high-risk escape. “I purchased flight tickets and referred to as my spouse and child to inform them about my choice, six hours earlier than the defection,” he mentioned. “I didn’t say South Korea, however mentioned, let’s reside overseas.”
Mr Ri instructed Chosun Ilbo that he defected due to disillusionment with the North Korean political system.
However the Yonhap information company, citing an unidentified South Korean official, reported that Mr Ri escaped after clashing with North Korean international ministry officers about his job analysis.
Mr Ri’s is the newest defection from remoted North Korea. These caught trying to defect from the nation face extreme punishment, together with demise, in accordance with human rights teams and defectors who’ve been profitable.
The final high-profile defection from North Korea to South Korea was that of Tae Yong-ho, a former deputy ambassador to the UK, who escaped in 2016, drawing rebuke from Pyongyang.
Mr Tae mentioned he fled as a result of he didn’t need his youngsters to reside “depressing” lives in North Korea and that he felt “despair” after watching Kim Jong-un order the executions of officers and pursue the event of nuclear weapons.
North Korea referred to as Mr Tae “human scum” and accused him of embezzling authorities cash and committing different crimes. Mr Tae had been elected to South Korea’s parliament in 2020.
Mr Ri was inducted into North Korea’s international ministry in 1999 and applauded by the North Korean chief for efficiently negotiating with Panama to finish the detention of a North Korean ship caught carrying arms from Cuba in 2013, Chosun Ilbo mentioned.
Mr Ri mentioned North Korea denying his request to journey to Mexico for medical remedy final yr was the ultimate nail within the coffin in his choice to depart North Korea.
The demise of his mother and father and parents-in-law, who may need confronted reprisals for his defection, additionally helped him make up his thoughts, he mentioned.
Based on human rights teams, fewer North Korean defectors have been in a position to escape to the South lately resulting from strict limits on border crossings into China and hefty dealer charges.
Final yr, 196 North Korean defectors got here to Seoul, down from practically 2,700 a decade in the past, in accordance with information from the South Korean authorities.
In 2020, North Korean diplomat Jo Tune-gil and his spouse had been reported to be dwelling in South Korea after having disappeared in Italy. Mr Jo was working within the North Korean embassy in Rome as performing ambassador.
The yr earlier than, North Korea’s performing ambassador to Kuwait left for South Korea together with his household. South Korean lawmakers mentioned the diplomat modified his title to Ryu Hyun-woo after arriving in South Korea.
