Son of Kim Jong Il arrested in Japan

On May 3, the Kyodo News Agency reported that the eldest son, Kim Jong Nam, of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il(30) was arrested at the Narita International Airport on May 1.

The Japanese government has not confirmed whether the arrested man was Kim Jong Nam or not. A Japanese government source said that it was most likely that the man would be expatriated to China. North Korea has not issued an official response to this case yet. On May 1, Kim Jong Nam, with two women in their thirties and a four-year-old child, arrived at the Narita International Airport and was arrested on charges of carrying a forged passport from the Dominican Republic. According to the Kyodo News Agency, the man admitted his identity as Kim Jong Nam. He was reported of saying, “I am a Korean,” according to another source.

Kim Jong Nam was born to Sung Hye Rim (64), who has been staying in Europe over a long period of time, and studied at schools in Moscow, Russia and Geneva, Switzerland. He has also been trained to succeed his father and has been the head of computer related industry in North Korea. The Japanese reporters said that Kawashima Yutaka, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, reported the case to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. One source said that Kim would be deported to China within a few days. A Korean official said that the government was in the middle of verifying the case through the Korean Embassy in Japan.

Lee Young-Ee yes202@donga.com