Key facts
- Two members of North Korea's Asian Games delegation are seeking asylum in Japan.
- The individuals expressed a preference for asylum in Japan over South Korea.
- They have communicated their intention not to return home.
- The information was reportedly obtained through a source connected to Japan's intelligence apparatus and the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).
Two members of North Korea's delegation to the Asian Games in Japan are seeking asylum, according to a report by South Korea's Monthly Chosun magazine. The individuals, whose identities and positions were not disclosed, expressed a preference for asylum in Japan rather than South Korea and have communicated their intention not to return home.
The magazine cited a source identified as an official from Japan's Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, who reportedly obtained the information through a connection to the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chongryon. North Korea sent approximately 180 athletes and officials to the Games, which opened on Saturday in Aichi-Nagoya. It remains unclear if their reported outreach will lead to a defection. Reuters could not immediately reach the Japanese government for comment.