Is This War Propaganda? High Ranking North Korean Defector Issues Dire Warning

Last year, Thae Yong Ho became one of the highest ranking North Korean officials to defect to South Korea. As a diplomat working in the UK, he was privvy to the inner workings of Kim Jong-un’s regime. In a recent interview with NBC, he explained what lengths Kim is willing to go to stay in power.

Kim he says, is “desperate in maintaining his rule by relying on his [development of] nuclear weapons and ICBM.” He added that “Once he sees that there is any kind of sign of a tank or an imminent threat from America, then he would use his nuclear weapons with ICBM.” Fortunately there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that North Korea has an ICBM that can reach American shores, but Thae believes that his former nation “has reached a very significant level of nuclear development.” 

Of course it’s important to understand the context that these statements are being made in. Though nothing he’s saying is necessarily untrue, the timing of this interview couldn’t be more convenient. It sounds a lot like war propaganda. As North Korea continues to work on it’s missile program, Trump has stated that he’s willing to “act alone” against the country, and several weeks ago secretary of state Rex Tillerson stated that “all options are on the table” in regards to North Korea’s nuclear program, including preemptive military force. And now this interview surfaces?

If you don’t think Thae was pressured to speak on this subject, or that this interview isn’t designed to prime the public for another war, consider what else Thae Yong Ho said.

Some analysts have warned that military action against the country might be very difficult and even disastrous. An invasion could risk a retaliatory strike against U.S. allies of Japan and South Korea, whose capital, Seoul, is just 50 miles from the border.

Nonetheless, Thae warned America and its allies to be prepared.

“If Kim Jong Un has nuclear weapons and ICBMs, he can do anything,” he said. “So, I think the world should be ready to deal with this kind of person.”

He added that “Kim Jong Un is a man who can do anything beyond the normal imagination” and that “the final and the real solution to the North Korean nuclear issue is to eliminate Kim Jong Un from the post.”

Hear that? It’s the sound of war drums beating.