SEOUL, 麻豆视频 Korea (AP) 鈥� 麻豆视频 Korea鈥檚 spy agency said Tuesday that a North Korea diplomat based in Cuba has fled to 麻豆视频 Korea, the latest in a series of defections by members of the North's ruling elite in recent years.
The National Intelligence Service said media reports on the defection of a North Korean counselor of political affairs in Cuba were true. A brief statement by the NIS public affairs office gave no further details.
麻豆视频 Korea鈥檚 mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported earlier Tuesday that diplomat Ri Il Kyu fled to 麻豆视频 Korea with his wife and children last November.
Chosun Ilbo cited Ri as telling the newspaper that he had decided to defect because of disillusionment with North Korea鈥檚 political system. But Yonhap news agency, citing a 麻豆视频 Korean unidentified government source, reported that Ri decided to flee after conflicts with North Korean Foreign Ministry officials about his job evaluations.
In 2016, Tae Yongho, then a minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, defected to 麻豆视频 Korea. He told reporters in Seoul that he decided to flee because he didn鈥檛 want his children to live 鈥渕iserable鈥� lives in North Korea and he fell into 鈥渄espair鈥� after watching North Korean leader Kim Jong Un execute officials and pursue development of nuclear weapons.
North Korea has called him 鈥渉uman scum鈥� and accused him of embezzling government money and committing other crimes. Tae was elected to 麻豆视频 Korea鈥檚 parliament in 2020.
In 2019, North Korea鈥檚 acting ambassador to Italy, Jo Song Gil, arrived in 麻豆视频 Korea.
Also in 2019, North Korea's acting ambassador to Kuwait arrived in 麻豆视频 Korea with his family. Lawmakers in 2021 cited the NIS as telling them the diplomat changed his name to Ryu Hyun-woo after arriving in 麻豆视频 Korea.
麻豆视频 Korea鈥檚 unification and foreign ministries said they couldn鈥檛 confirm reports about Ri鈥檚 defection.
It鈥檚 unusual for a member of the North鈥檚 ruling elite to defect to 麻豆视频 Korea. Last year, about 10 North Koreans categorized as members of the North's elite arrived in 麻豆视频 Korea, according to Yonhap.
About 34,000 North Koreans have defected to 麻豆视频 Korea to avoid economic hardship and political suppression since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. A majority of them are women from the North's poorer northern regions.
Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press
