Why female agents are North Korean regime’s weapon of choice
Highly-trained women make excellent killers, according to a defector who suspects the two arrested for Kim’s murder may not work for Pyongyang
North Korean female assassins, armed with good looks and poison tools, are now the weapon of choice for a ruthless regime stalking its opponents, a high-profile defector said on Thursday, after the latest apparent assassination.
Hardy male agents wielding guns or knives have been ditched in favour of their female counterparts, who strike fear into the hearts of enemies, said An Chan-il, a North Korean defector and renowned critic of Pyongyang’s one-man rule.
“We are always mindful of young women accosting us for possible revenge killings,” An said.
We are always mindful of young women accosting us for possible revenge killings
An, a former North Korean commando who defected to the South in 1979, is now a leading researcher on North Korean affairs, and a harsh critic of the Stalinist state.
He is one of eight defectors who were given the highest degree of protection by the South. Following Jong-nam’s death, that number has increased to 20, he said.
In recent years, North Korean male agents have increasingly been sidelined into intelligence gathering or building contacts with other spies, An said.