A senior diplomat from the North Korean embassy in London has defected, according to South Korean media, in the first case of its kind since official ties were established and the embassy opened 13 years ago. One of five officials at the embassy in addition to the ambassador, the diplomat’s job was to keep track of North Korean defectors living in London. The reasons might be personal or political or both – from wanting a better life outside North Korea in retirement to being under too much pressure. There is an ongoing cultural dialogue, including academic exchanges whereby North Korean students can study at Cambridge university. The tipoff that an official had fled came from an anonymous source inside North Korea, NK News reported on Tuesday.

Source: The Guardian August 16, 2016 16:47 UTC