North Korea taekwondo supremo that Austria can't kick

It is casual to miss the office of the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), which is tally by a North Korean from a humble location connected the outskirts of Vienna, a metropolis with a agelong estimation arsenic a nest of spies.

The oldest of the martial art's planetary bodies, it claims much than 100,000 members successful "at slightest 100 countries".

But tribunal documents seen by AFP amusement that for 4 years Austria has been trying to footwear retired Ri Yong Son, who it suspects of breaking United Nations sanctions by funnelling overseas currency to Pyongyang.

In a uncommon interview, an ITF authoritative denied "any wrongdoing", telling AFP the assemblage had "no interaction with the North Korean state".

Vienna -- location to respective planetary organisations including the Atomic Energy Agency, which has been blocked from inspecting North Korea's atomic arsenal -- has been trying to discreetly revoke Ri's enactment licence since March 2020, claiming helium "could harm Austria's reputation".

But judges were not convinced that Ri was progressive successful hidden financing, according to a tribunal determination from July seen by AFP, proceeding that helium earns a comparatively humble 5,256 euros ($5,702) a month.

The ITF official, who talked to AFP successful a Vienna cafe connected information of anonymity, insisted that "there is nary circumvention of United Nations sanctions". He said it simply organised competitions and sent retired taekwondo maestro certificates to teachers who travel the North Korean style.

- 'Agents' -

But dissident Jihyun Park -- who speaks retired against Pyongyang aft escaping to the UK -- said the ITF president "is not an athlete".

"He, his wife, and his lad are agents" who assistance funnel funds to Pyongyang, she told AFP.

Austria has not granted a visa to different North Korean who was owed to articulation the Vienna bureau portion Ri remains successful Vienna, according to the ITF.

The federation was founded successful 1966 by South Korean wide Choi Hong-Hi, who aboriginal defected to the North. But it is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, which alternatively chose its upstart South Korean rival World Taekwondo (WT).

Park said it was each the much "urgent" for Austria to unit the ITF retired arsenic North Korea deepens its practice with Moscow.

Pyongyang has been sending thousands of troops to combat Kyiv, according to occidental quality agencies, nether a defence accord betwixt the 2 countries that came into effect successful December, arsenic good arsenic supplying Moscow with ammunition.

- Printing passports -

North Korea is an "important" state of involvement for Austria's quality services, according to its caput Omar Haijawi-Pirchner.

But espionage specializer Siegfried Beer warned that the neutral EU subordinate of 9 cardinal radical does not "have the means to earnestly investigate" clandestine activities.

"Personnel and expertise are lacking, not to notation the connection skills," Beer said, adjacent arsenic Austria hosts a plethora of planetary organisations -- with posts offering diplomatic immunity and a imaginable screen for espionage.

North Korea has agelong had heavy Austrian links.

In 2010, a erstwhile Pyongyang diplomat successful Vienna, Kim Jong Ryul, revealed helium had bought weapons and luxury goods from crossed Europe for North Korea's dictators for 20 years without ever being investigated earlier defecting to Austria successful 1994.

Kim Kwang-Sop, a brother-in-law of North Korea's laminitis Kim Il-Sung, was ambassador to Austria for 27 years until 2020. North Korea adjacent had its passports printed successful the Alpine country, according to section media.

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