Defectors' rise to high posts in Seoul could shake NK elite: Tae

Tae says N. Korea seems unprepared to present counterargument to Yoon's unification doctrine.

Tae Yong-ho, secretary-general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, speaks during a press briefing on Wednesday at council's headquarters in Seoul. (Ministry of Unification)

Tae Yong-ho, a former senior North Korean diplomat, said Wednesday that his appointment to a vice-ministerial position in the South Korean government sends a compelling message to the North Korean elite -- the key pillars of the Kim regime's sustainability -- by highlighting their potential for a promising future within South Korean society or a unified Korea.

Tae has become the first North Korean defector who once served in the North Korean regime to ascend to a high-ranking South Korean official position, appointed by President Yoon Suk Yeol as secretary-general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council in July.

Tae underscored the importance of his appointment, stating, "With someone like me being appointed as a vice minister, what kind of message does this send? While the general population of North Korea remains important, it's even more crucial to focus on the core elite who sustain the Kim Jong-un regime."

Tae, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain before defection to South Korea in 2016, explained that the elite class "fully recognizes that South Korea is far more prosperous than North Korea and that North Korea lacks a viable future vision."

However, the elite class grapples with the possibility that, if a system like South Korea's liberal democracy were to take root in North Korea and they chose to embrace it, they might not be able to retain their current privileges.

"The North Korean elite are increasingly concerned about whether they can maintain their current status or, instead, face a complete social upheaval, potentially falling from their position as the first class in the North Korean system to becoming second-class citizens," Tae said during a press briefing.

Tae emphasized that his appointment could be a catalyst for changing the elite class's perception of their future in a unified Korean Peninsula — a future that the North Korean regime has falsely portrayed as one where they would be left penniless.

Tae noted that, following the end of the Cold War, North Korea initiated a nationwide campaign to reinforce socialism, indoctrinating the elite with the belief that "if North and South Korea were to unify under a single system, they would lose all their privileges and possessions."

"I believe my appointment sends a new message. It demonstrates that South Korean society is inclusive and does not discriminate against individuals simply because they once held a position in the North Korean government. This appointment, in my view, highlights that people are judged based on their abilities above all else," Tae said.

Tae emphasized the urgent need for Seoul to craft and disseminate content specifically tailored for the North Korean population, effectively countering the regime’s propaganda, which exaggerates external threats from South Korea and the United States to reinforce internal unity.

President Yoon Suk Yeol addresses the nation in a ceremony marking Liberation Day at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on Aug. 15, 2024. (Pool photo via Yonhap)

Tae stressed that South Korea "must reconsider its political approach for achieving peaceful unification" when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has declared a two-state policy, and labeled inter-Korean relations as "hostile."

"Against that backdrop, It is vital for the North Korean people, as key stakeholders in the unification process, to grasp how the South Korean government and its citizens are pursuing unification and to recognize their unwavering commitment to achieving peaceful reunification," Tae said. "It is equally essential to elevate the aspirations of the North Korean people by fostering a genuine sense of hope and possibility about the prospect of peaceful reunification."

To that end, Tae emphasized that the most effective approach is to realistically showcase the success stories of North Korean defectors -- highlighting how they have overcome challenges and successfully integrated into South Korean society.

According to Tae, North Koreans working abroad with access to mobile phones are chiefly focused on seeking information about how defectors in South Korea are navigating their new lives and adapting to society.

Concerning Pyongyang's silence following President Yoon's unification doctrine, unveiled on Aug. 15 National Liberation Day, Tae observed that North Korea has yet to craft a robust counterargument to justify Kim Jong-un's two-state policy as superior to the unification vision -- an objective long held by Kim’s predecessors but ultimately abandoned by Kim.

Yoon’s doctrine champions a vision of "freedom-based unification," prioritizing freedom and human rights in North Korea, intending to foster a strong desire for reunification among its people.

Tae noted, "I believe North Korea has yet to fully establish a theoretical framework to justify its two-state policy in opposition to unification."

Ri Il-gyu, a former counselor at North Korea's Embassy in Cuba who defected to South Korea in November last year, on Tuesday also revealed that Pyongyang opted for complete silence, believing it to be the most strategic response.

"(North Korea) deemed complete disregard to be the best course of action, reasoning that even a brief response to the (South) Korean government's unification doctrine, at a time when they are focused on erasing unification, would merely propaganda it for the North Korean people."

By Ji Da-gyum(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)