The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum

  • 3

    2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders

  • 5

    US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

  • 7

    Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City

  • 9

    William Franklin Sands' diplomatic and undiplomatic views of late Joseon

  • 11

    Will KT, POSCO replace CEOs as Shinhan, Woori did?

  • 13

    Korea as sublime, strange, and familiar

  • 15

    TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart

  • 17

    Chinese spy balloon 'transits' Latin America after first craft flies over US

  • 19

    Blinken scraps rare China trip over alleged spy balloon

  • 2

    INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage

  • 4

    Families of Itaewon crowd stampede victims clash with police over installation of memorial altar

  • 6

    China expresses 'strong dissatisfaction' over US shooting down balloon

  • 8

    Opposition party takes to streets to protest prosecution probes into leader

  • 10

    Korean American Rep. Young Kim named chair of House Indo-Pacific subcommittee

  • 12

    US remains committed to using full range of capabilities to defend S. Korea: Blinken

  • 14

    US shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon with a single missile

  • 16

    Wang Yi urges US to 'avoid misjudgment' over balloon controversy

  • 18

    President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election

  • 20

    Musk didn't defraud investors with 2018 Tesla tweets

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Mon, February 6, 2023 | 21:42
High-ranking defector cancels event appearance over 'threatening letter'
Posted : 2018-11-08 15:33
Updated : 2018-12-28 15:02
Jung Da-min
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
A progressive university students' group posted a screenshot of their email to Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, on Facebook Tuesday. Captured from @univjinbo's Facebook account
A progressive university students' group posted a screenshot of their email to Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, on Facebook Tuesday. Captured from @univjinbo's Facebook account

By Jung Da-min

A progressive university students' group posted a screenshot of their email to Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, on Facebook Tuesday. Captured from @univjinbo's Facebook account
Thae Yong-ho. Korea Times file
Thae Yong-ho, a high-ranking North Korean defector who has backed sanctions on North Korea, called off attending a public event early this week after receiving a threatening letter from an online community for progressive students.

The letter warned him to stop "activities hindering reunification" of the two Koreas or the community's members will move to "arrest" him.

Such criticism is not unusual for Thae, who fled to Seoul in August 2016 while serving in the United Kingdom as North Korea's deputy ambassador. He has been a target of harsh words from progressive activists who support the Moon Jae-in administration's North Korea-friendly policies. But it is the first time he has canceled an appearance following criticism.

The community posted the letter's full text on its Facebook account Tuesday, the day it sent the letter to the defector and the cancelation took place.

In the letter, the community condemned Thae for making critical comments of North Korea's human rights at a recent seminar at the National Assembly.

"You only made remarks that hinder peace and unification (of the two Koreas) during the seminar," the community wrote. "Please stay calm and don't stand in the way toward peace and unification."

According to reports, Thae decided to cancel "at the last minute" after discussing the issue with his security guards.

"We were told from Thae's side that it would be difficult for him to attend the event because of those who would stage a rally calling for Thae's arrest," an event organizer was quoted as saying in a report.

Earlier, Thae complained about the government's sluggish response to threats to defectors critical of the North.


Emaildamin.jung@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
12-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders 2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders
2Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City
3President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election
49 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident 9 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident
5LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report
6Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang
7[VIDEO] Filipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines VIDEOFilipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines
8FSC approves security token transactions in Korea FSC approves security token transactions in Korea
9Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion
10Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Tati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage
2TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart
3Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies
4Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different? Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different?
5The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group