PYONGYANG, 25 January, 2021 (TON): High ranking North Korean diplomat, Ryu Hyun-woo deserted to South Korea.

The official was acting ambassador to Kuwait and is thought to have fled with family in September 2019.

The reports said that he wanted to ensure the future for his children.

The case points out towards the case of Jo Song-gil, who was stationed in Italy and reported missing in 2018. In 2019 he defected and the case opened publically.

The South Korean officials have not yet confirmed the reports.

The media reports said Ryu Hyun-woo is thought to have arrived in South Korea in September 2019 to seek asylum there but his defection was kept secret until now and currently, he was the acting ambassador in Kuwait since 2017.

It is seen very rarely that the senior North Korean officials to defect although about 1,000 people have each year.

It is not as easy as it sounds, for most North Koreans; it means either a dangerous escape across the highly fortified border to the South, or trying to cross over the border to China from where they risk being sent back to the North.