North Korea: N Korea admits loss of N-expert

The Courier Mail -- Australia ^ | 23apr03 | Martin Chulov

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

NORTH Korea has admitted the father of Pyongyang's nuclear program, Kyong Won-ha, had defected to the West last year, taking with him many of the secrets of the atomic program pioneered since 1984.

Dr Kyong has been joined in exile by other North Korean officials, according to South Korea's JoongAng Daily newspaper.

The communist state attempted to downplay Dr Kyong's importance to the regime, describing him as a not particularly important figure.

A North Korean source quoted by the JoongAng Daily confirmed a report in The Weekend Australian, which revealed Dr Kyong's defection.

"North Korean authorities discovered Dr Kyong's disappearance during the second half of last year," the paper said, quoting a senior North Korean source.

"As far as Pyongyang knows, Dr Kyong is already in the United States, helped by an Asian American in China."

But Pyongyang attempted to minimise the scientist's influence on its nuclear program, claiming "he is not one who had hardcore information as (The Weekend Australian) reported".

The US and its allies believe Dr Kyong was crucial to the regime's ability to extract plutonium and therefore to produce the material needed for atomic bombs.

The report revealed up to 20 North Korean scientists, soldiers and technocrats had defected in a secret six-month operation codenamed Weasel. It has since been learnt several senior officials are in safe houses near Washington.

Pyongyang confirmed there were defections, but said those who had left were low-ranking officials who oversold their importance.

On the eve of crucial multilateral talks with North Korea, the US State Department refused yesterday to confirm or deny any high-level defections.

"I am afraid I can't comment on individuals who may or may not have defected," said spokesman Richard Boucher. "So I can't try to go into the issue of North Koreans who may have left North Korea."

Operation Weasel, which was ostensibly run by private citizens operating at arm's length from their governments, was aimed at developing an understanding of Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities and getting experts out of North Korea.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

A story reappears!

On the eve of crucial multilateral talks with North Korea, the US State Department refused yesterday to confirm or deny any high-level defections.

"I am afraid I can't comment on individuals who may or may not have defected," said spokesman Richard Boucher. "So I can't try to go into the issue of North Koreans who may have left North Korea."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Larry Lucido]

If the N. Koreans wish, we can send them Susan and Tim Sarandon, Julia Roberts, and the Dixie Chicks in trade.

[Grampa Dave]

Here is the thread that was on Free Republic last week.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/895957/posts

N Korean scientists defect ("Operation Weasel!")
The Weekend Australian ^ | April 19, 2003 | Martin Chulov and Cameron Stewart


Posted on 04/18/2003 12:19 PM PDT by ellery


A SWATH of North Korea's military and scientific elite, among them key nuclear specialists, has defected to the US and its allies through a highly secret smuggling operation involving the tiny Pacific island of Nauru.

The defections have taken place since last October and have been made possible through the help of 11 countries that agreed to provide consular protection to smuggle the targets from neighbouring China, according to sources close to the operation, which has now been wound up.

Some countries also agreed to act as transit points for up to 30 days once the defectors left China, the sources claim.

Among those now believed to be in a safe house in the West is the father of North Korea's nuclear program, Kyong Won-ha, who left his homeland late last year with the help of Spanish officials. Debriefings of Mr Kyong are said to have given intelligence officials an unprecedented insight into North Korea's nuclear capabilities, particularly at the feared reactor number one in the southern city of Yongbyon.

The operation – dubbed Weasel – has been largely facilitated through non-government organisations and private citizens from South Korea, the US and its allies. It has deliberately been kept at arm's length from any government.

It is understood to have led directly to the defection of up to 20 senior North Korean officials in the past six months.

Those countries involved were responsible for arranging and providing consular support and protection to the defectors once they were smuggled from North Korea into China.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/895957/posts

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Earlier story:

Nuclear scientists 'defect' as North Korea defies America

And:

N Korean scientists defect ("Operation Weasel!")

Bush Doctrine Unfolds :

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[Dog]

So this turns out to be true..

wow!

[anniegetyourgun]

Let's beg them to take that trade....

[Dog]

This is amazing stuff......we just drained little Kims nuclear program of its brains..

Something right out of a Tom Clancy novel..

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And here is this:

N. Korea: North aide says defector was only minor scientist (N. Korean spin)

[blam]

So, it is true? Amazing if so!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Got this now :

U.S. denies hand in defection of elite from North

[Grampa Dave]

See what our intel people can do with a real president who wants to protect America.

Of course it helps that Leaky Leahy, Biden, Toricelli and Dianne Frankenstein can no longer spill the beans about what our people are doing and put restraints in the CIA.

This must be driving Carter and the Clintoon nuts. They did their best to destroy the CIA, and shazaam it has rebounded to Super Agency.

[Grampa Dave]

How real intel people respond under a real president. We can neither confirm nor deny that the alleged defections took place. We can neither confirm or deny that anything happened.

[Trust but Verify]

And still they say Bush is an idiot. This makes me smile.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hot Damn!!! -- Way to go President Bush!

Posted the last one here:

North Korea: U.S. denies hand in defection of elite (Nuclear Scientists) from North

And from the story we have this:

Philip Gagner, a Washington-based lawyer who allegedly arranged Mr. Kyong¡¯s defection with the Nauru government, told the JoongAng Ilbo yesterday that he could not confirm his involvement in the defection at this point, but said the truth would come out in due time.

[ellery]

YIPPPEEE!!! I was starting to think maybe the story was bogus after all, since we haven't heard anything about it. Wonder when our media is going to get on this??

Great find -- thanks for the post.

[ellery]

Thanks for the ping -- can't wait to see this break in US media!

[Grampa Dave]

Don't hold your breath, most of the America Media is still chiding GW for the Quagmire in Iraq and for not invading N Korea first.

[ellery]

Heh -- making them look all the dumber when this brilliant stroke of genius emerges. Wow.

[Trust but Verify]

True enough. It sure shows why Bush hasn't been in any hurry to give That nutcase an audience. First we secret away their nuclear braintrust, then we pick their brains to see where the program REALLY is.

This administration is always at step or two ahead of everyone else.