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North Korea ambassador to Italy 'in hiding' says South | North Korea ambassador to Italy 'in hiding' says South |
(35 minutes later) | |
South Korea's spy agency has told officials that North Korea's ambassador to Italy has gone into hiding. | South Korea's spy agency has told officials that North Korea's ambassador to Italy has gone into hiding. |
The announcement follows unconfirmed reports that Pyongyang's top diplomat in Italy had sought asylum from an unidentified Western country. | The announcement follows unconfirmed reports that Pyongyang's top diplomat in Italy had sought asylum from an unidentified Western country. |
Jo Song-gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Rome, is believed to be the son or son-in-law of one of the highest level officials in North Korea. | Jo Song-gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Rome, is believed to be the son or son-in-law of one of the highest level officials in North Korea. |
The last senior diplomat to defect was the deputy ambassador in London. | The last senior diplomat to defect was the deputy ambassador in London. |
Thae Yong-ho abandoned his post in 2016, along with his wife and children. He defected to South Korea. | |
As one of the highest-ranking officials to ever defect from the North, his move was seen as a blow to Kim Jong-un's regime. He would go on to urge the world to spread information in North Korea to undermine Mr Kim's status among his people. | |
Speaking after a briefing from the spy agency on Thursday, Kim Min-ki, a government MP, told reporters that Mr Jo went into hiding more than a month ago. | |
"Acting ambassador Jo Song-gil's term was ending in late November last year and he escaped the diplomatic compound in early November," the MP said. | |
Mr Jo's wife is believed to be with him. | |
Italy's foreign ministry has told the BBC that it has no record of an asylum request made by Mr Jo. | |
Mr Jo, 48, has been acting ambassador in Rome since October 2017 after Italy expelled then-ambassador Mun Jong-nam in protest over a North Korean nuclear test a month earlier. | Mr Jo, 48, has been acting ambassador in Rome since October 2017 after Italy expelled then-ambassador Mun Jong-nam in protest over a North Korean nuclear test a month earlier. |
North Korea's diplomatic mission in Italy is important for Pyongyang as the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization is based in Rome and North Korea often suffers from chronic food shortages. | North Korea's diplomatic mission in Italy is important for Pyongyang as the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization is based in Rome and North Korea often suffers from chronic food shortages. |
North Korean diplomats stationed abroad usually have to leave several family members behind in Pyongyang to prevent their defection. | North Korean diplomats stationed abroad usually have to leave several family members behind in Pyongyang to prevent their defection. |
But Mr Jo is thought to have been in Rome with his wife and children, suggesting he may be from a privileged or influential family, | But Mr Jo is thought to have been in Rome with his wife and children, suggesting he may be from a privileged or influential family, |