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Beijing raids a North Korean agent’s house

Posted June. 13, 2016 07:15,   

Updated June. 13, 2016 07:27

한국어

The Japanese Yomiuri newspaper said that the Chinese security authorities arrested a senior North Korean spy residing in Dandong, Liaoning Province, a region bordering North Korea and China, and seized over 5.3 billion won (4.5 million U.S. dollars) in cash citing multiple sources from China and North Korea.

The Chinese authorities raided and arrested the spy’s house at night but it is not known he was arrested for what charges. They seized around 30 million yuan (4.5 million dollars) and gold bars, notifying the North Korean Embassy in Beijing.

The arrest was made a few days after Ri Su Yong, one of North Korea’s highest ranking officials, returned home following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China on June 1. The newspaper said Beijing’s unusual arrest of a senior North Korean official was a pressure on North Korea for denuclearization measures. Ri is said to have said in the meeting with the Chinese president that Pyongyang would not change its determination to develop nuclear weapons.

The newspaper also said North Korea sent its people to Beijing to find facts, but it was not known whether the spy was released as of Saturday.

The arrested agent is said to have been based in Dandong for a few years. Having been called the “country’s representative” and the “chief” among North Korean traders, he appears to have been involved in smuggling of trade goods banned by the U.N. sanctions on North Korea.

The newspaper cited another source, saying Beijing is strengthening smuggling between North Korea and China recently and this is due to put pressure on North Korea by enforcing the U.N. sanctions strictly.



도쿄=서영아특파원 sya@donga.com