Thae Yong-ho View

[Anchor Lead]

Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho, the high-profile defector to South Korea, said in an interview with KBS that Kim Jong-nam's assassination was a result of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's hatred and paranoia.

[Pkg]

Former North Korean deputy ambassador to the U.K., Thae Yong-ho, appeared confident while giving his interview despite a growing terror threat since Kim Jong-nam's assassination.

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "I am not one who can be psychologically intimidated by Kim Jong-un's despotic rule."

Thae said that Kim Jong-nam was killed because Kim Jong-un felt inferior to him and hated him as the eldest son of the so-called "Baekdu bloodline."

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "To Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-nam was a huge obstacle. He has hated Jong-nam since childhood. It's the result of his hatred and paranoia."

Thae said that other members of the Kim clan, including Kim Han-sol and Kim Pyong-il, may also fall victim to the Kim Jong-un regime if deemed as obstacles. However, Thae added that Kim Jong-un's despotic rule is driving him to a dead end.

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "I am sure that North Korea's elite and residents will soon turn away from Kim Jong-un and take down his regime."

The former diplomat that said he was sure that the arrested suspect Ri Jong-chol was a special agent, and that more North Korean agents reside in the U.K.

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "Only special agents or Reconnaissance Bureau officials are allowed to live overseas with their families under the disguise of migrant workers at foreign companies. There are more North Korean agents like Ri Jong-chol in the U.K."

Thae pointed out that the answers provided by the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia at a news conference were scripted by the North's foreign ministry at Kim Jong-un's order.

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "Each word uttered by Ambassador Kang Chol was said at Kim Jong-un's order. The Foreign Ministry has no authority to decide what to say."

The former diplomat said that Kim Jong-un's case must be brought to the International Criminal Court by all means.

[Soundbite] Thae Yong-ho(Fmr. N. Korean Deputy Ambassador to U.K.) : "The whole world has seen Kim Jong-nam's death on video. This will serve as significant evidence to bring Kim Jong-un's case to the International Criminal Court as a murderer."

Thae stressed that he is not intimidated by the terror threat and is determined to contribute to achieving national reunification of Korea and the collapse of the North Korean regime.