SEOUL—The defection of a top North Korean diplomat to South Korea gives Seoul rare access to one of Pyongyang’s most well-connected men as it seeks more clues about the inner workings of its isolated neighbor. Thae Yong Ho, Pyongyang’s deputy ambassador in London, whose defection with his family was announced by South Korea’s government Wednesday, enjoyed a level of immunity and privilege that few others could in the North Korean...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 18, 2016 12:18 UTC