Ri Il-gyu, 52, a former elite counselor who worked at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba, said in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo on July 14, “Once the article is published, the North Korean authorities will attack me as human trash, just as they always do with defectors.” Despite this, he agreed to the interview because he felt that “exposing the horrific human rights abuses and reality in North Korea is the way to help the North Korean people.”
What was life as a North Korean diplomat like?
“Embarrassingly, some in North Korea call Foreign Ministry officials ‘beggars in ties.’ Unlike trade workers or those in special agencies, we don’t have any money, but we have to wear high-end clothes and ties for external activities, hence the nickname. When I was the Deputy Director General for Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I also served as a party cell secretary and received the highest salary for a deputy director general, which was 3,000 North Korean won. However, at the time, $1 was about 8,000 North Korean won, so my salary was only about $0.30.”
What was it like working overseas?
“Overseas, the salary is paid in dollars, which is slightly better. When I was in Cuba, my salary was $500 (about 690,000 won). It varies by country, but ambassadors receive $600 to $1,000, counselors and ministers get $500 to $600, and secretaries earn between $350 and $500.”
How do you manage with that income?
“That’s why North Korean overseas workers have been reported worldwide for engaging in illegal trade. The primary reason for this is the very low income of diplomats. They save every penny they can and bring it back to North Korea. North Korean diplomats in Cuba, for instance, use their diplomatic privileges to send 150 to 200 boxes of cigars each to China, making a net profit of $15,000 to $20,000 per shipment. Given the profitability of the cigar trade in Cuba, they can live off these earnings alone. Although the illegal cigar trade paused during the coronavirus pandemic, it has recently resumed on a large scale with the resumption of flights.”
What happens if they can’t trade?
“In February 2019, the Director of Disarmament at the International Organizations Department at the Foreign Ministry was publicly executed on espionage charges. He frequently traveled to Switzerland, where illegal trade is not possible, so he had no money. His extravagant spending raised suspicions, leading to an investigation. Another case involved the embezzlement by a secretary at the Beijing Embassy following the purge of Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho in 2019. The secretary, responsible for purchasing plane tickets, would buy a $500 ticket from a Chinese travel agency but get a receipt for $1,000, pocketing the difference. Many security officials rely on bribes as supplementary income due to their need for extra earnings.”
Is living on just their salary difficult?
“Inadequate and unjust labor pay is one of the most critical issues in North Korean society. Agencies like the Ministry of External Economic Relations compel their overseas workers to pay annual loyalty fees ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. Despite Kim Jong-un ordering a crackdown after reports surfaced of workers engaging in illicit activities to meet these payments, citing concerns that it undermines the Party’s authority abroad, the agencies paradoxically advise their employees to use any means necessary to acquire funds while avoiding detection, as these loyalty payments are mandatory.”
How did you feel about the nuclear and missile tests?
“Initially, the announcement of successful nuclear and missile tests was met with a sense of pride. However, as people realized the immense financial resources being diverted to these programs, their support waned. Under the false pretense of preparing for a U.S. invasion, Kim Jong-un’s regime has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to nuclear and missile development. This expenditure has crippled the country’s economy and reduced 25 million people to modern-day slavery. Older citizens have remarked that ‘it wasn’t this hard during the Japanese occupation.’ They question the rationale behind defending such a harsh and impoverished system. In response to losing popular support, the regime is escalating its politics of fear.”
What are your thoughts on North Korea’s trash-balloon operations?
“I find it difficult to even comment on the trash-filled balloons. As a North Korean, this is the one act that brings me profound shame and humiliation. These balloons are abnormal, nonsensical, and unethical actions that the North Korean regime should be ashamed of. North Korea claims it is responding to leaflets from South Korea criticizing the regime. If that’s the case, they should respond with leaflets highlighting the happiness in North Korean society or pointing out injustices in South Korean society to maintain logical consistency.”
Why do you think North Korea acted in this manner?
“I believe the planning of the trash balloon operations was orchestrated by the United Front Department, now the 10th Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, executed by the General Staff Department of the KPA and the military, and publicized by the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the WPK. These three organizations share a common trait: a lack of understanding of international trends, conventions, and diplomacy, operating solely on blind loyalty and recklessness. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been involved, they would not have crossed such an absurd and disgraceful line.”
What do you think about the statements released under Kim Yo-jong’s name regarding this issue?
“The statements were issued in her name; it’s as if Kim Yo-jong merely lent her name to it. This makes me feel sorry for her. Her name is being used to justify actions like the waste balloons, which the entire world criticizes and mocks. The notion that Kim Yo-jong holds the status and power of the second or third most powerful person is nonsense. North Korean society is under the singular rule. Everyone, except the ‘Supreme Leader,’ is just a pawn. Even statements issued in Kim Yo-jong’s name are orchestrated by the Party. She doesn’t see the document until after receiving Kim Jong-un’s directive.”
What are your plans for the future?
“For people like us, it’s hard to live without believing in the possibility of reunification. We hope to return to our hometowns someday and seek forgiveness from our families. If reunification happens, I want to introduce advanced culture, science, and technology to North Korean society. When I was in North Korea, I thought I was worldly because I had traveled a lot, but after coming to South Korea, I realized how naive I was. I didn’t know anything about banking, finance, traffic regulations, or automated systems. President Yoon Suk-yeol said in his Memorial Day speech this year, ‘South Korea is now one of the brightest countries in the world, but North Korea behind the armistice line is the darkest land.’ He was absolutely right. I want to think about how we can bring light to that dark land.”
