Newspaper reports senior North Korean official defects to Russia
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 29 August 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Newspaper reports senior North Korean official defects to Russia, 29 August 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/542ac6c58.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 29, 2014
A South Korean newspaper reports that a high-ranking North Korean official who managed leader Kim Jong Un's personal finances has defected to Russia.
The newspaper "Joong Ang Ilbo" on August 29 quoted an unidentified source as saying that Yun Tae Hyong, a senior representative of North Korea's Daesong Bank, disappeared last week in Nakhodka, a Russian port near the North Korean border, with $5 million.
The newspaper quoted the source as saying that Yun was "allegedly requesting asylum" and that Pyongyang had asked Russian authorities for cooperation in his capture and repatriation.
Reuters reported that South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, said it had no knowledge of the matter.
The U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted Daesong Bank in 2010 for being involved "in facilitating North Korea's illicit financing projects."
Based on reporting by Reuters and "JoongAng Ilbo"
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
