"Former North Korean diplomat reveals the opacity and repression of Kim Jong-un's regime."

Ri Il-kyu, a former high-ranking diplomat from North Korea who defected from his embassy in Cuba eight months ago, has shared valuable and revealing insights about Kim Jong-un's regime and the internal situation of his country. After working as a political affairs advisor in Havana, Ri, who now resides in South Korea, has become the voice of a system that has maintained its opacity and repression for decades. His story is not only a testament to his personal bravery but also a reflection of the growing uncertainty and discontent looming over North Korea. In his direct encounters with Kim Jong-un, of which he recalls having had up to seven, Ri describes the North Korean leader as someone who, on the surface, may have seemed kind and approachable. However, despite this facade, the former diplomat has no doubt that the leader would do anything to ensure his survival, even at the cost of his own people's lives. “He could have been a wonderful person,” Ri says, “but the fact that he is elevated to the status of a god has turned him into a monstrous being.” This duality in Kim Jong-un's personality reflects the complexity of a regime that mixes tyranny with an image of benevolence. Ri also provides a glimpse into the internal logic of the North Korean regime, which continues to consider figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump as possible interlocutors. Despite the failure of negotiations in 2019, Ri believes that Trump’s return to the presidency could be viewed by North Korea as “a once-in-a-millennium opportunity.” This perception reveals the regime's dependence on international politics and its desire to stay afloat through strategic alliances, even at the expense of seeking a sustainable solution to its nuclear conflicts. As Ri recounts his experience at the embassy and the daily problems he faced, it becomes clear that corruption and a lack of freedoms are constants in the lives of North Korean diplomats. His attempt to seek medical attention abroad became the catalyst for his defection. “I lived the life of the top 1% richest in North Korea, but it is still worse than that of a middle-class family in the South,” he asserts, emphasizing the disparity between perceptions of wealth and the harsh reality of life in his homeland. The fears of retaliation for an attempted defection are alarming. Ri describes how, for officials of his status, the consequences of being caught can be fatal. “For elites like us, there are only two outcomes: life in a political prison camp or execution,” he says. The magnitude of the fear he feels is exacerbated by thoughts of his family, whom he had to protect from the regime's reprisals. This context of terror and perpetual control is, according to Ri, one of the reasons why loyalty to Kim Jong-un has become increasingly fragile. The arrival of South Korean cultural content in the lives of North Koreans is beginning to have a significant impact, albeit clandestinely. Ri suggests that while these influences are eroding official loyalty to the regime, Kim's control is so strict that the regime's collapse is not imminent. “Kim Jong-un is very aware that loyalty is waning, which is why he intensifies his reign of terror,” he indicates, referring to the laws that severely punish those who consume or distribute cultural products from the South. The former diplomat also reflects on the recent rapprochement between North Korea and Russia, which has shown Pyongyang a way to evade international sanctions. This resurgence in bilateral ties is interpreted as a tactical response to economic and political adversity, although Ri believes this alliance is temporary and that the regime still seeks to normalize relations with the United States as a means to ensure its long-term survival. In the long run, Ri does not believe that Kim Jong-un's regime depends on his health or the possible succession of his daughter. In his view, true change will only come if there is continued international pressure, including from allies like China and Russia. The idea is that the international community must unite to induce internal change in North Korea, as only then could the dictatorship that has suffocated its people for generations be overthrown. Ri Il-kyu, although he has left behind the regime that shaped him, feels a profound responsibility toward his people. His hope is that his decision to defect inspires others to seek small changes from within, which is why he advocates for the need for basic freedoms: the ability to choose a job, food security, and the opportunity to express opinions without fear of reprisals. As he adapts to his new life in South Korea, his most immediate ambition is to facilitate his family's integration into a society that is radically different from the one they knew. His journey is ultimately a microcosm of the struggle faced by an entire country, where hope often seems like an unattainable luxury. “This is a debt I must pay for the rest of my life,” Ri concludes, recalling the sacrifice he made by opting for an uncertain, but free, future.