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North Korea
Thu, June 8, 2023 | 17:15
NK leader's older brother may have played role in uncle's execution
北 첩보 '김정남, 고모부 장성택 배신’
Posted : 2014-03-19 10:06
Updated : 2014-03-19 10:06
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Kim Jong-nam, North Korea's president Kim Jong-un's older brother.
Kim Jong-nam, North Korea's president Kim Jong-un's older brother.

By Ko Dong-hwan


According to an online community for North Korean dissidents in South Korea, state leader Kim Jong-un's older brother, Kim Jong-nam, played a critical role in the execution of Jang Song-thaek last December, news reports said Tuesday.

The reports, citing the North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, said Kim Jong-nam betrayed Jang, their uncle and the nation's second-highest ranking official, in exchange for the government consolidating his overseas trading activities.

Kim and Jang had a close relationship; Kim monitored Jang's funds and confidential data, while Jang financially supported Kim's move from Singapore to Malaysia after his father, Kim Jong-il, died in 2011. Kim, locked in a battle with his younger brother Kim Jong-un for the state crown, first set out to China, where he has allegedly been controlling the state's trades and politicking.

When the North Korean government launched a behind-the-curtain investigation on Jang last June, it offered to secure legal activities and waive trades handling overseas capital for Kim in exchange for disclosing intelligence regarding Jang. According to the online community's members, the government's attractive offer persuaded Kim to cooperate with the government, even when he knew that doing so would jeopardize his uncle's life.

The reports said the government communicated with Kim Jong-nam through Ji Jae-ryong, Consulate General of the North Korean Embassy in China, during the investigation. Ji was acknowledged by the state for his help during the investigation.

But Ji, who once managed Jang's closeted funds worth approximately one billion dollars, is also currently plagued by maligning rumors that he escaped the execution sweep last October by divulging intelligence on Jang to the government. Others say he is known among the state's high-ranking officials as a "scoundrel."


北 첩보 '김정남, 고모부 장성택 배신’

북한 김정은 노동당 제1비서의 이복형인 김정남이 자신의 후견인 역할을 했던 고모부 장성택을 숙청하는 데 가장 큰 단초를 제공했고, 이 ‘배신’의 대가로 합법적인 활동 보장과 외화벌이 사업 위임을 약속받았다는 주장이 제기됐다. 

탈북자단체인 NK지식인연대는 17일 복수의 북한 무역 부문 관계자를 인용해 “장성택 숙청 사건의 가장 큰 단초를 제공한 것이 김정남이었고, 김정남이 장성택을 배신했다는 이야기가 있다”며 “북한이 작년 6월부터 장성택에 대한 비밀 내사에 들어갔고, 이 과정에서 장성택의 자금과 비밀자료를 관리하는 김정남을 수차례 비밀 접촉해 설득했다고 한다”고 밝혔다. 

소식통들은 북한이 장성택의 계좌와 비밀자료를 넘겨받는 대가로 김정남의 활동을 합법적으로 보장해 주고 앞으로 북한의 외화벌이 사업도 김정남에게 위임한다는 파격적인 제안을 한 것으로 추정하고 있다. 

김정남과의 협상은 역시 장성택의 최측근으로 알려졌던 지재룡 주중 북한 대사가 맡았으며, 이 공로 때문에 지재룡은 아직까지 건재한 것으로 알려졌다. 

소식통들은 “지금 김정남이 중국군의 보호를 받으며 은둔했다는 일부 언론의 보도와는 달리 김정남은 막후에서 북한과 중국 간의 무역, 정치관계에 영향력을 행사하는 것으로 추정된다”며 “김정남이 장성택 처형에 큰 충격을 받았지만 북한 당국의 합법적 활동보장과 외화벌이 사업 유혹은 벗어나지 못할 것”이라고 밝혔다고 NK지식인연대는 전했다. 

김정남은 북한 내부 후계구도에서 밀리면서 중국 베이징과 마카오 등을 중심으로 해외를 떠돌다가 2011년 김정일 사망 이후에는 싱가포르와 말레이시아 등 동남아 지역에 주로 거주해온 것으로 전해졌다. 

장성택과 부인 김경희는 특히 김정일 사망 이후 김정남에게 경제적 지원을 하는 등 보호막 역할을 했던 것으로 전해졌다. 이 때문에 작년 12월 장성택이 전격 숙청되자 김정남의 신변을 둘러싼 갖가지 추측이 나왔고, 한때 ‘김정남 망명설’까지 돌기도 했다. 김정남은 올해 초 말레이시아에 입국했던 것으로 전해졌다. 

지재룡도 당초 김정은이 장성택 세력에 대한 대대적 숙청에 나서면서 본국으로 소환되는 것 아니냐는 관측이 우세했지만 이후 공식행사에 모습을 드러내 건재함을 과시했고, 지난달에는 외신기자들 초청해 기자회견까지 열었다. 

이를 두고 김정은이 중국과 가까웠던 장성택을 숙청하자마자 지재룡까지 소환하면 북·중 관계에 부정적인 영향을 줄 수 있어 고민하고 있는 것 아니냐는 분석이 제기됐지만 북한 내부에서는 ‘지재룡의 장성택 배신설’이 나온 바 있다. 

자유북한방송은 지난 연말 평양소식통을 인용해 “장성택이 조성해 놓았던 비자금 약 10억 달러를 지재룡이 대부분 관리했는데 지재룡이 작년 10월 중앙당 조직지도부의 현지조사 때 ‘장성택 비자금 및 비리사실’을 모두 털어놓아 처형대상에서 제외됐다”고 보도했다. 

이어 “이 때문에 지재룡은 작년 10월에 이미 처형 대상에서 제외됐고, 최근 이런 사연이 알려지며 북한 고위층 사이에서 ‘지재룡은 비열한 놈’이라는 소문이 돌고 있다”고 전했다.
Emailaoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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