North Korea accuses CIA of plan to kill leader with biochemical weapon
NORTH Korea accused the CIA of plotting to kill its supreme leader Kim Jong-un with a “biochemical” attack, as it threatened to “mercilessly destroy” US and South Korean intelligence agencies.
A spokesman for the regime claimed that a “terrorist” supported by the CIA attempted to poison Mr Kim with radioactive material in April, according to Yonhap News. The plot was said to have involved an assassin named “Kim”, whom the regime said was paid $40,000 (€36,000) by the CIA to kill the supreme leader during North Korea’s Day of the Sun parade.
“They told him that assassination by use of biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano poisonous substance is the best method,” said state broadcaster KCNA. “Then they handed him over $20,000 on two occasions and a satellite transmitter-receiver and let him get [started].”
KCNA claimed the assassin was a “lumberjack” who used to work in Russia.
Neither the CIA nor South Korean intelligence agencies have responded to the extraordinary allegations, which experts dismissed as propaganda.
North Korea frequently claims that foreign enemies are trying to kill the supreme leader, though it marks the first time the CIA has been directly accused of plotting a chemical attack on Mr Kim.
“We will ferret out and mercilessly destroy to the last one the terrorists of the US CIA,” a North Korean security minister said in a statement published by state media. “[A] Korean-style anti-terrorist attack will be commenced from this moment to sweep away the intelligence and plot-breeding organisations of the US imperialists and the puppet clique [of South Korea],” added the statement, which was unusually detailed.
The regime went on to claim that the chemical agent that was used “takes six to 12 months for its lethal effects to appear”.
Tensions on the Korean peninsula have been near boiling point since the country threatened to carry out its sixth nuclear test and threatened “imminent” war against the US.
The dictatorship has carried out five nuclear tests and a series of missile tests despite ever-tightening international sanctions.
Mr Kim has also vowed to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile at any time that can strike the mainland US with a nuclear weapon.
Soon after his inauguration, President Donald Trump instructed his national security team to undertake a wide-ranging review of how to deal with North Korea including “blue sky” ideas not considered previously.
Following the policy review, the National Security Council presented him with a range of possibilities and all options were on the table, including assassinating Mr Kim or placing nuclear weapons in South Korea.
Retired Admiral James Stavridis said at the time that assassination would be “tempting” but “the question you have to ask is what happens the day after you decapitate? In North Korea, it’s an enormous unknown”.
Experts suggested that North Korea was trying to deflect accusations that it uses chemical weapons by accusing its enemies of doing the same.
Mr Kim allegedly ordered the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam.
The 45-year-old was sprayed with a chemical nerve agent by two women at Kuala Lumpur airport in February and later died. (©Daily Telegraph, London)