North Korea diplomat flees to South in highest rating envoy defection since 2016 – report

A senior North Korean diplomat primarily based in Cuba defected to South Korea in November, a South Korean newspaper has reported, turning into the highest-ranking North Korean diplomat to flee to the South since 2016.

Earlier than fleeing to the South, Ri Il-kyu, 52, was chargeable for political affairs on the North Korean embassy in Cuba, the Chosun Ilbo mentioned on Tuesday citing an interview with Ri.

Amongst Ri’s jobs on the embassy was to dam North Korea’s rival South Korea and previous ally Cuba from forging diplomatic ties, the newspaper reported. In February, the 2 nations established diplomatic relations.

The South’s unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, declined to verify the report, citing privateness points.

Particulars on North Koreans defections usually take months to come back to gentle, with defectors needing to be cleared by authorities and going via a course of schooling about South Korean society and methods.

Ri entered North Korea’s overseas ministry in 1999 and acquired a commendation from North Korean chief Kim Jong-un for efficiently negotiating with Panama to carry the detention of a North Korean ship caught carrying arms from Cuba in 2013, Chosun mentioned.

He informed the newspaper he had determined to defect over disillusionment with the regime and unfair analysis of his work.

“Each North Korean thinks not less than as soon as about dwelling in South Korea. Disillusionment with the North Korean regime and a bleak future led me to contemplate defection,” he informed the paper.

“In truth, North Koreans yearn for reunification much more than South Koreans. Everybody believes that reunification is the one approach for his or her youngsters to have a greater future. Right now, the Kim Jong-un regime has brutally extinguished even the slightest hope left among the many folks.”

The final such identified high-profile defection to the South was that of Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UK, in 2016.

Different notable defections embody that of the appearing ambassador to Italy, Jo Tune-gil, in 2019 and the appearing ambassador to Kuwait, Ryu Hyun-woo, in 2021, who held the ranks of first secretary and counsellor respectively, in line with the Chosun Ilbo.

North Korea final 12 months shut some embassies in an effort to “rearrange its diplomatic capability effectively”, closures that South Korea says signifies the North is struggling below the burden of sanctions.

North Korea maintains an embassy in Cuba, although its ambassador returned dwelling in March, in line with media stories.

Reuters contributed to this report