Anchor: The former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, Thae Yong-ho, held a news conference in South Korea. Speaking to Unification Ministry correspondents on Tuesday, Thae pointed to young North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions as what led to his defection earlier this year.
Our Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: He said the Kim Jong-un regime would not give up its nuclear ambition.

[Sound bite: former N. Korean deputy ambassador to London Thae Yong-ho (Korean)]
"The Kim Jong-un regime is itself a nuclear weapon. North Korea would not give up its nuclear weapons even if one trillion or ten trillion dollars are given [in exchange].

The former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, Thae Yong-ho, held a news conference in Seoul on Monday to discuss the story behind his defection in July. 

[Sound bite: former N. Korean deputy ambassador to London Thae Yong-ho (Korean)]
"As I witnessed him pushing ahead with his plan to complete nuclear weapons by 2017, I wanted to go to South Korea to save Koreans from a nuclear disaster."

He told South Korean reporters that North Korea found the year 2017 is the most conducive to complete its nuclear weapons development given the regime changes in South Korea and the U.S. 

The former diplomat said Pyongyang wants to be recognized as a nuclear state when Seoul and Washington are forging new North Korea policies.

He said international sanctions held back Kim Jong-un's signature construction project to develop the "Ryomyong Street" in Pyongyang, through which the young leader wanted to show off his regime's ability to withstand global pressure. 

He said that the Pyongyang regime is maintained by Kim's reign of terror but North Koreans seek freedom as they watch South Korean dramas in secret.

[Sound bite: former N. Korean deputy ambassador to London Thae Yong-ho (Korean)]
"Educated people like to watch history dramas like 'Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin,' while regular citizens like 'Autumn in My Heart,' and 'Winter Sonata' featuring Bae Yong-joon."

Amid concerns over his safety, Thae said that he will continue public activities for the unification of the two Koreas.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News. 

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