The former Deputy Ambassador of North Korea in Cuba, Ri Il Gyu has expressed fears concerning his country’s interest in a second term for Donald Trump. In a recent interview, he called it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the Pyongyang government to negotiate and seek an agreement that could relieve economic sanctions. This deal would be ‘a ploy, 100% deception,” warns Ri, meant to just strengthen North Korea.
Ri was serving as a political counselor at the embassy of North Korea in Havana. He defected to South Korea last November. In what was one of the highest profile escapes of recent years, this well-planned getaway was made public in July this year. Having planned everything himself, he told his family thereafter. Speaking about it with The Associated Press later on, he said: “My wife first told me not to make such a dreadful joke. So I showed her our plane tickets and she was speechless.”
At dawn on that day, the 52-year-old departed from Havana Airport with his family before taking a flight to another country en route to South Korea. His defection is the highest known escape by any North Korean official since Thae Yongho fled three years ago. Ri’s decision while tension among the Koreas has been brewing may incense no less Kim Jong Un because it undermines his grip over top diplomats like him (Reuters). On media interviews of this nature Mr.Ri avers that; “if they watch me speaking publicly like this through these media interviews then certainly Kim Jong Un regime will probably be very angry at this point.’’
The decision by Mr. Ri to defect came after the denial by north Korean ministry of foreign affairs to grant his request for medical treatment visitation in Mexico which he believed that his boss back in Pyongyang had blocked due to an early bribes request. “I got so furious”, said Mr.Ri.“Had it not been for that, I would have been contemplating over defection but without leaving ever.”
The state of diplomatic relations between Cuba and South Korea at the time was another complication. His defection with the help of South Korean authorities remains closely guarded secret to avoid diplomatic complications as well as assist in other potential defectors.
There has been an increased number of high profile defectors from North Korea into South Korea since the late 1990s around 34,000 North Koreans have fled their country to settle in South Korea.
