1. Introduction to the text
This article discusses the case of a North Korean defector who was revealed to be a spy for the North Korean intelligence agency, the Bowibu, after living in Jeju for 13 years. The article provides details about how the defector, Mr. Choi, was recruited by the Bowibu and carried out espionage activities in South Korea.
2. Vocabulary
| Korean Word | Romanization | English Meaning | Contextual Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 탈북민 | talbukmin | North Korean defector | A North Korean defector had put down roots in Jeju for 13 years. |
| 보위부 | bowibu | North Korean intelligence agency | The Bowibu, North Korea’s intelligence agency, lured him back into being a spy. |
| 다시 | dasi | again | He was lured back into being a spy again in March 2015, just 3 years after defecting to the South. |
| 간첩 | ganjjeob | spy | It turned out that the North Korean defector was actually a spy. |
| 회유 | hoiyu | to coax, to lure | The Bowibu coaxed him into becoming a spy again in March 2015. |
| 내연 관계 | naeyon gwangye | intimate relationship | The two developed an intimate relationship. |
| 덜미 | deolmi | to be caught, to be apprehended | His suspicious actions were ultimately caught by the police and prosecutors. |
3. The main text in both Korean and English
제주에 13년 동안 터를 잡고 살아온 탈북민 최씨는 알고 보니 북한 보위부의 정보원이었다. 최씨는 2011년 8월 탈북해 남한에 귀순했지만, 3년 만인 2015년 3월 다시 보위부의 회유에 넘어가 간첩 활동을 하게 되었다. 결국 지난 3월 재판에 넘겨졌고, 출소 후에도 수사를 받고 있다는 소식을 접했다.
A North Korean defector named Mr. Choi had put down roots in Jeju for 13 years, but it turned out that he was actually an informant for North Korea’s Bowibu intelligence agency. Choi had defected to South Korea in August 2011, but just 3 years later in March 2015, he was lured back into being a spy for the Bowibu. He was eventually put on trial last March, and even after his release, he is still reportedly under investigation.
2006년 9월 다시 국경을 넘은 최씨는 A씨를 만나 내연 관계로 발전했다. 최씨는 하나원을 거쳐 2012년 3월 제주에 터를 잡았다. 그리고 다시 보위부 정보원의 길로 들어서게 된 것이다.
In September 2006, Choi crossed the border into North Korea again and met a man named Mr. A, with whom he developed an intimate relationship. Choi then went through the Hanawon resettlement program and settled in Jeju in March 2012, only to become a Bowibu informant once again.
최씨의 수상한 행동들은 결국 경찰과 검찰에 덜미를 잡혔다. 그는 출소 후 얼마 지나지 않아 또 수사를 받고 있다는 소식을 접했다.
Choi’s suspicious actions were ultimately caught by the police and prosecutors. Shortly after his release, he reportedly came under investigation again.
4. Reading comprehension questions
- How long had the North Korean defector, Mr. Choi, lived in Jeju before his true identity as a spy was revealed?
- When did Mr. Choi first defect to South Korea, and how long after that did he become a spy for North Korea again?
- How did Mr. Choi reconnect with North Korea’s intelligence agency, the Bowibu, after his initial defection?
- What happened to Mr. Choi after his espionage activities were discovered?
- What is the current status of Mr. Choi after his release from prison?
5. Cultural and historical notes
The case of Mr. Choi highlights the ongoing challenges faced by North Korean defectors in adjusting to life in South Korea. Despite initially defecting and seeking a new life in the South, the lure of his former homeland and the coercion of North Korea’s intelligence agency ultimately led him back into espionage activities. This underscores the complex psychological and political factors that can influence the decisions of North Korean defectors, even years after their initial escape.