NK Nuclear Scientist and Military Officials Defect

On April 19, ‘The Australian’ newspaper reported that about 20 North Koreans, including a prominent nuclear scientist and some senior military officers, defected to the United States and other western countries via China and third world countries. They defected with the assistance of the U.S. and South Korean government, as well as various NGOs.

The sole nationwide newspaper in Australia reported this breaking news in its weekend edition. The paper stated: “In this mass (North Korean) defection, the small island state of Nauru was involved, also, New Zealand, Thailand and 11 other countries provided shelter and assistance.”

‘The Times’ of Britain reported that a source in the U.S. confirmed a discussion it had with Nauru Island regarding the North Korean defection.

According to ‘The Australian’, among the defectors was Dr. Won-ha Kyung, the so-called father of the North Korean nuclear program. Dr. Kyung escaped North Korea at the end of last year with the help of Spanish officials. Since then, he stayed in safe houses all over Western Europe. Dr. Kyung has been providing U.S. officials with information on the Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

The newspaper also reported that the mass defection began last October with the news breaking only recently and that several countries agreed to provide shelter for a maximum of thirty-days to the defectors, who escaped via China.

‘The Australian’ reported that the defection, called ‘Operation Weasel’, was completed when the defectors, going through China, were whisked away by the Nauru consulate car to the embassy then later taken to third countries.

Members of North Korean refugee assistance NGOs such as Mr. P, a Korean man, Mr. N, a Dutch man, as well as others are known to be involved in this operation.

“Last year, I was able to obtain several documents which passed between Nauru and the U.S. and began to cover the story. The story was absolutely confirmed,” journalist Martin Churove, writer of the article, said in a Dong-a phone interview on April 20.

The South Korean government is in process of confirming the details. The government has ordered its diplomatic missions in the U.S., China, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and other missions in the involved countries to confirm the defections.

sechepa@donga.com