Thae Yong-ho

This is a Korean name; the family name is Thae.
Thae Yong-ho
Native name 태영호
Born c. 1961
Residence
Nationality South Korean
Occupation Diplomat
Known for Defection
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 태영호
Hancha 太永浩[1]
Revised Romanization Tae Yeong-ho
McCune–Reischauer T'ae Yŏng-ho

Thae Yong-ho (Korean: 태영호)[2] is a former North Korean diplomat. He was North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, prior to defecting with his family to South Korea in 2016.[3][4] Mr. Thae is likely the highest-ranking North Korean official to ever defect.[4] In August 2016, the South Korean government confirmed that Thae and his family were under their protection.[4]

Thae is married to O Hye-son (Korean: 오혜선), a member of the influential O family in North Korea.[5][6] They have two sons. Their older son is a graduate of a British university,[7] and their younger son, who was born in Denmark, when Thae was serving as a diplomat there, was studying at a London school.[8] The younger son had recently been offered a place to study computer science at Imperial College London.[8] However, the family had been recalled to Pyongyang just before Thae's defection.[9]

According to BBC reports, Thae is convivial, and enjoys Indian food, playing golf and tennis.[9] In addition to Korean and English, he speaks fluent Chinese.[5] In 2015, he escorted Kim Jong-chul, the older brother of Kim Jong-un, to an Eric Clapton concert in London.[10] During his time in London, he lived in a two-bedroom flat in West London.[7]

He has been described as one of North Korea's elite, being regarded by observers as a sophisticated diplomat who was one of North Korea's "best and brightest".[11][12] Following Thae's defection, the North Korean government issued a strongly-worded denunciation of him, describing him as "human scum."[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "朝公使太永浩投诚或由韩英情报机构联手促成". chinese.yonhapnews.co.kr (in Chinese). Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  2. ↑ uni_kr (17 August 2016). "태영호 공사는" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ "North Korea's deputy ambassador defects in London: reports". Reuters. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  4. 1 2 3 "North Korea diplomat defects to South". BBC News. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  5. 1 2 Rothwell, James (20 August 2016). "Revealed: Secret lives of the North Korean diplomats tucked away in a London surburb [sic]". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  6. ↑ Shim, Elizabeth. Kim Jong Un cracking down on elites after diplomat's defection. United Press International. August 31, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Harding, Luke; Nagapetyants, Dina (2016-08-17). "North Korean defector Thae Yong-ho was 'sick and tired of regime'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  8. 1 2 Harding, Luke (2016-08-17). "High-ranking North Korean diplomat in London defects to South Korea". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  9. 1 2 Evans, Steve (16 August 2016). "My friend the North Korean defector". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  10. ↑ Choe, Sang-hun; Gladstone, Rick (2016-08-17). "North Korea's No. 2 Diplomat in London Defects to the South". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  11. ↑ Blair, David (17 August 2016). "North Korea's 'tough' and 'sophisticated' deputy ambassador in London defects to the South". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  12. ↑ "North Korean defector Thae Yong-ho was among Pyongyang's 'best and brightest'". South China Morning Post. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  13. ↑ "North Korea calls UK-based defector 'human scum'". BBC News. 2016-08-20. Retrieved 2016-08-20.


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