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| A member of the North Korea's embassy tells reporters not to take pictures of the diplomatic building in Madrid, Spain, on Mar. 13. AP |
By Lee Min-hyung
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received "pretty significant" data stolen from the North Korean Embassy in Madrid by a political group opposing Kim Jong-un, according to U.S. media reports.
Citing a law enforcement source, NBC News said Saturday (local time) Free Joseon handed over data to the FBI following the group's raid on the embassy in Spain in February.
This is in line with Free Joseon's claim last week that it shared certain information of "enormous value" with the FBI. But given the clandestine nature of the organization, doubts have surfaced over whether its claim is true.
The U.S. media outlet quoted an unnamed former U.S. intelligence officer as saying that obtaining information at one of the regime's embassies could prove significant. The specifics of what was stolen by the group remain unclear.
Free Joseon is gaining media attention in recent weeks after it claimed responsibility for the raid. The group is known to consist of activists seeking to overthrow the Kim regime.
The organization said it would continue fighting the regime until it stops its dictatorship and guarantees freedom to its people.
"The Kim Jong-un regime will continue to feel humiliated if it rejects the order of freedom," Free Joseon said in a statement, Sunday, urging the North to dismantle its political prison camps and reform its dictatorial leadership style.
The group also hinted at the possibility of carrying out another "big task" against the regime.
"We will keep silent like the calm before the storm until preparations for the big task is finished," it said. "Please support our making of miraculous facts and continue waiting for us with patience."
The statement came hours after North Korea expressed regret over the raid for the first time since the incident took place Feb. 22.
The regime's foreign ministry spokesman told its propaganda news outlet, the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), that the raid was a "grave violation" of international law.
"We are paying close attention to any rumors about the FBI and the anti-regime organization being involved in the recent terrorist attack," the spokesman said.
He added that the regime will wait patiently for the result of an investigation into the incident.
"We urge the Spanish authority to carry out an investigation responsibly and punish the masterminds of the incident according to international law," he said.
Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to the South, said Sunday the regime was seeking to find out details about Free Joseon by putting pressure on Spanish investigators.
"It took 37 days for the North to respond to the incident, which shows that the regime viewed the raid with much consideration," Thae said Sunday in his online blog.
"The (response) is the regime's apparent intention of learning as much as possible about Free Joseon, formerly known as Cheollima Civil Defense," he said.
