2024-07-17 17:33:11
“Passed the personnel verification, only the president’s approval remains
“It will be an incentive for North Korea’s high-ranking officials to visit South Korea”
North Korean diplomats and families defected from Cuba and France last year
It has been reported that former People Power Party lawmaker Tae Young-ho (pictured), a former high-ranking diplomat who defected from North Korea, has been appointed as the head of the Office of the Presidential Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification (DPNU). If Tae’s appointment is confirmed, it will be the first time in history that a North Korean defector has been appointed to a vice-ministerial position.
According to a comprehensive report by the Dong-A Ilbo on the 16th, former lawmaker Tae recently went through a personnel verification process by the Blue House and is expected to announce his appointment soon. A key ruling party official said, “President Yoon Seok-yeol’s final approval is all that’s left,” and “This appointment was made after careful consideration of the meaning of the establishment of the first North Korean Defectors’ Day and the policy of embracing North Korean defectors that the president mentioned in his commemorative speech.” Another high-ranking official said, “This is the first time that a defector has been appointed to a vice-ministerial position,” and “This will be a clear incentive for high-ranking officials who are trying to defect to decide to go to South Korea.”
Former lawmaker Tae is the highest-ranking defector who worked as North Korea’s ambassador to the UK and defected to South Korea in 2016. He ran for the 21st National Assembly election in Gangnam Gap, Seoul and was elected, and in the 22nd general election, he ran for Guro Eul, Seoul, which is considered a difficult seat for the ruling party, but was defeated. Initially, it was predicted that former lawmaker Tae would be an ambassador or a cabinet member, but it seems that this appointment was made after comprehensively reviewing his personal safety and the symbolic nature of the appointed position.
The Democratic Peace Unification Advisory Council is a constitutional body that establishes and promotes the government’s unification policy and is an advisory body to the president. Based on 228 domestic and 45 overseas regional councils, it is known as an organization that exerts political influence on unification policy as well as regional community decision-making. The position of the Democratic Peace Unification Advisory Council Director has been vacant for six months.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that around 20 high-level defectors have come to South Korea since last year. According to government sources, around 10 high-level defectors entered the country last year alone, and a similar number of high-level defectors have already entered the country in the first half of this year. In particular, among the high-level defectors who entered the country this year, the proportion of resident officials such as trade workers is said to be higher than that of diplomats. In November of last year, it was confirmed that Ri Il-gyu, a counselor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba, entered the country with his wife and children. It has been reported that Ri, a “South American expert” who has worked in Cuba twice, decided to defect after conflicts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters over job evaluations and other issues. It has also been reported that the family of a North Korean diplomat working in France at the end of last year also defected. The government believes that the “defection rush” by North Korean elites living overseas is in full swing this year.
Reporter Shin Na-ri [email protected]
Reporter Shin Gyu-jin [email protected]
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m so sad
- 0dog
-
- I’m angry
- 0dog
-
- I recommend it
- dog
Hot news right now
2024-07-17 17:33:11