Rumors Say Kim Jong-il’s Doctor Sought Refuge in Beijing

According to rumors from Beijing, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s physician, who had defected from the country, was arrested by China`s state security police.

A North Korea expert from Beijing on Friday revealed, “Rumors are spreading that a former doctor in his 60s who used to work for Kim Jong-il recently fled from North Korea and sought refugee at a place in suburban Beijing until his arrest by the state security police.”

The source added, “I heard that North Korean authorities had provided the Chinese police his description and asked for his repatriation.”

However, other diplomatic sources denied the rumor and doubted the credibility of the story. Another source said, “I personally heard the story and tried to confirm it, but I concluded that the rumor was groundless.”

He also added, “If Pyongyang had intended to catch him, it would not have asked the Chinese police to do it. Rather, it would have used its own people to arrest him, lest the relevant information be leaked.”

Yoo-Seong Hwang yshwang@donga.com