N. Korean spy worked at Blue House, says a defector

The BBC reported that a former high-ranking spy and defector testified that a North Korean agent had been dispatched and worked at the Presidential Office in South Korea and worked for five to six years at the Blue House. The defector, who worked as a senior colonel for North Korea’s top intelligence agency, also said that the Cheonan navy ship attack and Yeonpyeong island bombardment was carried out at the orders from the top and “treated with pride.”

The BBC interviewed Kim Kuk-sung (alias), who worked at North Korean spy agency for 30 years, defected from North Korea in 2014 and currently works for the South Korean intelligence. According to BBC reports, Kim said that a North Korean agent was dispatched and worked at the Presidential Office in South Korea. He returned safely and worked at the 314 Liaison Office of the Labor Party. He said that happened in the 1990s under President Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) or President Kim Young-sam (1993-1998)’s term.

Kim said that the sinking of the Cheonan navy ship attack and shelling of Yeonpyeong island was no secret to RGB officers and treated with pride and something to boast about. “Operations of such scale could not have been carried out by subordinates. It could not have been done without the direct approval of the leadership,” it reported. BBC said that it was unable to verify the claims but confirmed his identity. However, multiple sources said that Kim’s claims of North Korean spies working at the Blue House for six years in the early 90s were not true.


Jong-Yeob JO jjj@donga.com · Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com