South Korea's spy agency confirmed on Tuesday that a North Korean diplomat based in Cuba has defected to South Korea, marking another high-profile defection from the North's ruling elite in recent years. The National Intelligence Service verified media reports about the defection of a North Korean counselor of political affairs in Cuba, although no further details were provided.
According to reports, the diplomat, along with his wife and children, fled to South Korea in November. The diplomat cited disillusionment with North Korea's political system as the reason for his defection. However, a South Korean government source suggested that conflicts with North Korean Foreign Ministry officials regarding job evaluations may have also played a role in his decision to flee.
This incident follows previous high-profile defections, including that of a North Korean minister at the embassy in London in 2016, who cited concerns for his children's future and disillusionment with the regime as reasons for his defection. The defector was later elected to South Korea's parliament.
In 2019, North Korea's acting ambassadors to Italy and Kuwait also defected to South Korea with their families. The recent defection of the diplomat in Cuba adds to the list of elite North Koreans seeking asylum in South Korea.
While South Korea's unification and foreign ministries have not confirmed the reports about the latest defection, it is noteworthy that such high-ranking officials from North Korea are choosing to defect to South Korea. The total number of North Korean defectors in South Korea has reached approximately 34,000 since the end of the Korean War, with many fleeing economic hardship and political suppression.
