North Korean defector says Kim Jong Un's 'days are numbered'


When Thae Yong Ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain, defected last summer, he was the most high profile person to do so in two decades. On Wednesday, he spoke with reporters for the first time about life in North Korea and why he feels Kim Jong Un won't be leader much longer.
Thae said he defected because he wanted to free his wife and two sons from the "slavery" of North Korea, and he is "sure that more defections of my colleagues will take place since North Korea is already on the slippery slope." International sanctions on the regime are working and North Koreans are becoming more aware of the outside world, he said, and analysts agree that news reports from South Korea are being smuggled in on flash drives and cellphones. Thae, who believes the only way to "resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula" is to "eliminate the Kim Jong Un regime," went on to predict there will be a "popular uprising" against Kim, and his "days are numbered."
Thae is surrounded by security 24/7, and said he is almost certain members of his family have been sent to prison camps because of his defection. He is "very sorry" about this, and wants to work to topple Kim so he can see his family again. "I wasted the first 50 years of my life," he said. "Now it is time for action, and I will be a man of action."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
August 3 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include a human data center, Donald Trump's enterprising spirit, and more
-
5 darkly funny cartoons about Israel blocking aid to Gaza
Cartoons Artists take on forcing famine, avoiding aid, and more
-
The easy elegance of Cap Ferret
The Week Recommends 'Elemental and otherworldly' destination is loved for its natural beauty
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein