The Ministry of Unification announced at an emergency press briefing on Aug. 17 that Thae Yong-ho, a minister at North Korea's embassy in London, has come to Korea.
The senior North Korean diplomat lived in the U.K. for 10 years with his family. However, they disappeared without a trace in west London several weeks ago.
On Aug. 16, the BBC reported that Thae “was responsible for promoting the image of his country to British audiences.” The BBC also said that, “It now looks as if Thae's heart may not have been into the task of defending North Korea.”
Thae lived in Europe, in the U.K., Denmark and Sweden, for more than 10 years. His main duty was to promote North Korea’s image in Europe and to deal with the North Korean upper class.
Spokesperson Jeong Joon-Hee of the unification ministry said, “Recently, a North Korean minister at the North's embassy in London, Thae Yong-ho, and his wife and children fled to the Republic of Korea. They are currently under the protection of the government. Related organizations are undergoing the usual, necessary procedures.”
“Regarding the motivation for exile, we are informed that Thae was sick and tired of the Kim regime in Pyongyang, wanted to be in a liberal and democratic country, and was worried about his children’s future,” said the spokesperson.
“Thae’s case shows that the notion is spreading among top North Korean officials that there is no hope in the Kim regime, which is near its breaking point,” Jeong added.
Thae was the second highest-ranked diplomat, after the North Korean ambassador, in Britain. He is also, so far, the highest North Korean official to defect to South Korea.
Meanwhile, the cases of many North Korean defectors vary these days. On the one hand, more North Koreans who live outside the country are trying to escape from the North. For example, the government of the Republic of Korea confirmed that a North Korean diplomat who worked in the African region, and his family, fled to the South last year. There was another similar case in 2015 involving a North Korean diplomat who worked in Malta, Europe.
In April this year, 12 female waitresses and one male owner of a restaurant in China, all from North Korea, came to the South. A month later, three North Korean workers from another North Korean restaurant in China escaped to the South. The unification ministry predicts that the number of North Koreans defecting to the South will reach 30,000 by October this year.
By Wi Tack-whan, Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Yonhap News
whan23@korea.kr
The senior North Korean diplomat lived in the U.K. for 10 years with his family. However, they disappeared without a trace in west London several weeks ago.
On Aug. 16, the BBC reported that Thae “was responsible for promoting the image of his country to British audiences.” The BBC also said that, “It now looks as if Thae's heart may not have been into the task of defending North Korea.”
Thae lived in Europe, in the U.K., Denmark and Sweden, for more than 10 years. His main duty was to promote North Korea’s image in Europe and to deal with the North Korean upper class.
Thae Yong-ho, a minister at the North's embassy in London, defects to South Korea with his family on Aug. 17. South Korean citizens watch the news about his trip to the South.
Spokesperson Jeong Joon-Hee of the unification ministry said, “Recently, a North Korean minister at the North's embassy in London, Thae Yong-ho, and his wife and children fled to the Republic of Korea. They are currently under the protection of the government. Related organizations are undergoing the usual, necessary procedures.”
“Regarding the motivation for exile, we are informed that Thae was sick and tired of the Kim regime in Pyongyang, wanted to be in a liberal and democratic country, and was worried about his children’s future,” said the spokesperson.
“Thae’s case shows that the notion is spreading among top North Korean officials that there is no hope in the Kim regime, which is near its breaking point,” Jeong added.
Thae was the second highest-ranked diplomat, after the North Korean ambassador, in Britain. He is also, so far, the highest North Korean official to defect to South Korea.
Spokesperson Jeong Joon-Hee of the unification ministry holds a press briefing on the exile of North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho, at the Government Complex-Seoul on Aug. 17.
Meanwhile, the cases of many North Korean defectors vary these days. On the one hand, more North Koreans who live outside the country are trying to escape from the North. For example, the government of the Republic of Korea confirmed that a North Korean diplomat who worked in the African region, and his family, fled to the South last year. There was another similar case in 2015 involving a North Korean diplomat who worked in Malta, Europe.
In April this year, 12 female waitresses and one male owner of a restaurant in China, all from North Korea, came to the South. A month later, three North Korean workers from another North Korean restaurant in China escaped to the South. The unification ministry predicts that the number of North Koreans defecting to the South will reach 30,000 by October this year.
By Wi Tack-whan, Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Yonhap News
whan23@korea.kr
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