By Choi Ha-young
The Ministry of Unification plans to increase payment for North Korean defectors who provide valuable information concerning “national security” to up to 1 billion won ($864,000), ministry officials said Sunday.
The ministry recently drew up a revision bill to significantly raise payment to defectors for information they provide, according to the officials. If raised, it will be the first time for South Korea to increase payment for defectors since 1997.
Those who flee to South Korea in a warship or fighter jet can receive up to 1 billion won, which is four times larger than the current amount, the officials said. Defectors who provide “crucial” information about North Korea are also entitled to the same amount.
Those who defect to the South with a tank, a guided weapon or a plane can receive up to 300 million won, six times larger than the current amount. Defectors with an artillery gun, a machine gun or a rifle will receive up to 50 million won.
The ministry will judge the values of intelligence and weapons by its own standards of credibility and originality.
“The ministry’s plan appears to be targeting the North Korean soldiers rather than ordinary defectors,” defector activist Kim Seong-cheol, President of North Korea Reform Radio, said.
“After assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the shock is palpable among high-ranking officials based in China. The increased payment will be attractive for them.”
In 1983, Lieutenant Lee Woong-pyung from the North Korean Air Force fled to the South in a Mig-19 jet.
In July last year, Thae Yong-ho, ex-deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, arrived in Seoul. “There are multiple North Korean diplomats in the South, and many are waiting for departure to South Korea,” he said in a conference at the National Assembly in January.