A senior North Korean diplomat based in Cuba has defected to South Korea, marking the highest-ranking diplomatic defection from the North since 2016, according to a report by The Guardian. The South Korean National Intelligence Service confirmed the defection, which took place in November, without providing further details.
The Guardian, citing a report from the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, identified the defector as Ri Il-kyu, a counselor responsible for political affairs at the North Korean embassy in Cuba. The newspaper reported that Ri's role at the embassy included preventing diplomatic ties between South Korea and Cuba. Despite his efforts, the two countries established diplomatic relations in February.
Ri, who joined North Korea's foreign ministry in 1999, told Chosun Ilbo that his decision to defect stemmed from disillusionment with the regime and unfair evaluation of his work. "Every North Korean thinks at least once about living in South Korea. Disillusionment with the North Korean regime and a bleak future led me to consider defection," he said in an interview with the paper.
The diplomat elaborated on the sentiment among North Koreans regarding reunification: "In fact, North Koreans yearn for reunification even more than South Koreans. Everyone believes that reunification is the only way for their children to have a better future. Today, the Kim Jong-un regime has brutally extinguished even the slightest hope left among the people."
Ri described his high-risk escape, saying he flew out of Cuba with his family. "I bought flight tickets and called my wife and kid to tell them about my decision six hours before the defection. I didn't say South Korea, but said, let's live abroad," he explained. According to Ri, the final push for his defection came when his request to travel to Mexico for medical treatment was denied last year. He added that his parents and parents-in-law, who might have faced reprisals for his defection, had already passed away.
🇰🇵🇰🇷 JUST IN: Senior NK diplomat defects to SK from Cuba, highest-ranking envoy since 2016. Ri Il-kyu, key diplomatic figure, fled due to regime disillusionment and worsening SK ties. Highlights ongoing tensions.
[Source: The Guardian]
— RSxAI News (@RSxAI_News) July 16, 2024
The number of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea has decreased in recent years due to strict border controls and high broker fees. During the inaugural North Korean Defectors' Day ceremony, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol promised improved financial support and tax incentives for companies hiring North Korean defectors. In 2023, South Korean government data showed that 196 North Korean defectors arrived in Seoul, a significant drop from the 2,700 recorded a decade ago. Human rights activists note that most recent defectors, like Ri, had been living overseas for extended periods.
The last high-profile defection to South Korea was that of Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, in 2016. Other notable defections include Jo Song-gil, the acting ambassador to Italy in 2019, and Ryu Hyun-woo, the acting ambassador to Kuwait in 2021.
North Korea has been closing some of its embassies in what it calls an effort to "rearrange its diplomatic capacity efficiently." South Korea interprets these closures as a sign of the North's struggle under international sanctions. While North Korea maintains an embassy in Cuba, reports indicate that its ambassador returned home in March.
