North Korea's 'Torch Group' leverages family, party ties for illicit fortunes

East-Asia-Intel.com, ^ | 6/2/2010 | East-Asia-Intel.com,

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Western intelligence agencies have identified an unofficial group of North Korean elite who use their connections to party and military leaders to engage in counterfeiting and drug trafficking.

The "Ponghwajo" or Torch Group is led by Oh Se-Wan, the son of a senior leader in North Korea's National Defense Commission, Gen. Oh Kuk-Ryol, who is a key player in the succession of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il to his son, Kim Jong-Un.

The group has operated internationally and within North Korea since at least 2005. Members are said to be similar to China's so-called "princelings" — sons and daughters of Communist Party and military leaders who have amassed fortunes through businesses and their family connections within the ruling party system.

Oh Se-Won, 39, became known to intelligence agencies through the investigation in 2004 of counterfeit bills in Las Vegas and the seizure by Australian authorities in April 2003 of the North Korean ship Pung Su, which was found to be carrying 330 pounds of heroin.

In addition to Oh Se-Won, other Torch Group members reportedly include:

Kim Chol-Un, son of Kim Chung-Il, a close aide to Kim Jong-Il within the secretarial office. His current title is chief of the office of secretaries. He is also deputy director of Kim Jong-Il's personal secretariat and a member of the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee.

Kang Tae-Seung, son of Kang Sok-Ju, a first vice foreign minister and key figure in North Korean diplomacy who recently traveled to China with Kim Jong-Il.

Kim Chang-Hyok, son of Kim Chang-Sop, deputy director of the State Security Department.

Kim Chol, son of Kim Won-Hong, head of the secret military police known as the Korean People's Army Security Command.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Ping

[hennie pennie]

*ping*

[Bhoy]

Ping ...

[TigerLikesRooster]

Oh family really gets around. One son, Oh Sewook, reportedly defected to the West. It was never clearly confirmed, but there were stories on major newspapers several years back that Japanese intel agencies were frantically looking for a (N. Korean) guy holed up in Yokosuka base. He was suspected to be Oh Sewook. Many suspect that he defected with the help of Japanese Yakuza he has dealing with, and eventually went to U.S.. He got out to the sea with drugs and was to contact Yukaza vessel in the high sea to turn over the goods, but he also went over to the Yakuza ship and sailed to Japan.
There are reportedly a few high-level defection cases of N. Koreans never acknowledged officially, and even media has sketchy information about them.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks hennie pennie.