Officials in Seoul confirmed Wednesday that senior North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho has defected to South Korea. Thae, deputy minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, is believed to be "the highest-ranking North Korean official ever to defect," BBC reported.
Thae, who had been tasked with defending North Korean leadership's reputation, reportedly defected "because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his yearning for South Korean democracy, and worries about the future of his children," The Associated Press reported.
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