NKorea blames Seoul in defection of ‘criminal’ diplomat

SEOUL (AA) – Pyongyang has blamed Seoul for the recent defection of a senior North Korean diplomat who the reclusive state accused Saturday of embezzling state funds and selling state secrets.

Seoul confirmed Wednesday that Thae Yong-ho, second-in-command at Pyongyang's embassy in Britain, was now being offered protection in South Korea along with his immediate family.

The 55-year-old is reportedly the son of a four-star general who campaigned against Japanese occupation during the 1930s, according to local news agency Yonhap -- adding to the blow dealt to Pyongyang by losing a high-ranking official to defection.

On Saturday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency described Thae as a "criminal" who Seoul had allegedly persuaded to defect through “strategic propaganda activities”.

According to the South’s unification ministry, Thae and his wife decided to defect due to a desire to escape Pyongyang's oppressive regime, which has further tightened its grip on North Koreans at home and abroad since being hit with strengthened United Nations sanctions in March.

They were reportedly also concerned about their children’s’ future

In addition to Thae and his family, Seoul earlier hailed the April defection of 13 North Korean restaurant staff based in China as an example of sanctions biting.

An academic and a military officer were among over 800 other North Koreans to flee to South Korea between January and July, representing a jump of more than 15 percent based on official data.

But Thae is seen as one of the most senior diplomats from his country to have ever escaped to the South.