Possible provocation against South Korea in January says asylum-seeking Jang Aide

Paper: Asylum-seeking Jang aide questioned in China

Information about possible provocation may have come from aide in question

The South Korean government is questioning a former aide to the recently purged Jang Song Taek in China as he seeks asylum, the South Korean Munhwa Ilbo newspaper has reported.

The paper had previously reported on the aide on December 12, stating that he is a North Korean lieutenant general who had been in charge of managing foreign money and a secret fund for Pyongyang.

An unnamed source told the paper that a statement by South Korea’s minister of national defense yesterday that there is a high possibility of North Korea committing a provocation aimed at the South between the end of January and early March is based on information the Korean government gained from Jang’s aide.

Meanwhile, an unnamed government official told the paper that the Korean government cannot elaborate on the questioning of the aide for now, which may indicate that the process is still under way. The 
Munhwa Ilbo added that, based on its sources, there may be more than one aide seeking asylum.

A figure within the South Korean intelligence community who asked not to be identified confirmed for NK News that the questioning is taking place.

“He sought asylum before the fall of (Jang) but it is not certain his defection is related to that,” the source said.

However, the intelligence official said that the information gleaned from the aide should be regarded carefully, at least prior to his arrival in South Korea.