Kim Jong Un 'very sorry' over killing of South Korean, Seoul saysApologies from the North -- let alone attributed to Kim Jong Un personally -- are extremely unusualSEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a rare apology Friday over what he described as the "unexpected and disgraceful" killing of a South Korean at sea, Seoul's presidential office said. The fisheries official was shot dead on Tuesday by North Korean soldiers, and Seoul says his body was set on fire while still in the water, apparently as a precaution against coronavirus infection. North Korean defector turned Seoul-based researcher Ahn Chan-il said it was "extremely rare for the North's supreme commander to offer an apology, especially to South Koreans and their President". Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, added: "Kim Jong Un's supposed apology reduces the risk of escalation between the two Koreas and keeps the Moon government's hopes for engagement alive." South Korean media reports said he was in his forties with two children, but had recently divorced and had financial problems.
Source: Bangkok Post September 25, 2020 07:41 UTC