Maduro's Ouster Sparks Fears of 'Decapitation' for Kim, Ex-North Korean Envoy Warns

The swift US operation that toppled Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro this month may have convinced North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he, too, could be vulnerable to a so-called "decapitation" strike, Lee Il-kyu, a former Pyongyang envoy to Havana, told AFP.

US Action Seen As Worst-Case for Pyongyang

Lee, who served as North Korea's political counsellor in Havana from 2019 until 2023 and defected to South Korea in November 2023, described the lightning extraction in Caracas as a nightmare scenario for Kim. "Kim must have felt that a so-called 'decapitation' operation is actually possible," he said, adding that Maduro's removal is likely to trigger alarm across the North's security apparatus.

Security Overhaul Expected

Lee predicted Kim will "overhaul the entire system regarding his security and countermeasures in case of an attack against him," signaling possible wide-ranging changes to protect the leadership. Pyongyang long points to the United States as a threat and cites its nuclear and missile programs as deterrence against perceived regime-change efforts.

Diplomatic Career and Defection

From Havana, a key ally of Venezuela, Lee promoted North Korean interests across Latin America. He played an important role in negotiations such as securing the release of a North Korean vessel detained in Panama in 2013, for which he received commendation from Kim Jong Un. One of his final missions involved efforts to dissuade Cuba from establishing diplomatic relations with Seoul — a mission that ultimately failed.

A Dangerous Escape

Increasingly disillusioned with the system, Lee defected in late 2023. He recounted a perilous escape in which he, his wife and his daughter were stranded at a Central American airport. Airport officials initially insisted he board a flight to Venezuela, which would likely have led to repatriation to Cuba and then to North Korea. "I physically struggled in desperation, trying to save my family. But it was not working," Lee said. Their situation changed when a South Korean diplomat intervened and placed them under Seoul's protection.

Appeal To Rescue North Korean POWs

Now based in Seoul and working for a state-backed think tank, Lee is urging South Korea to take decisive action to bring two North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine to the South. The men — reportedly among thousands of North Korean troops sent to assist Russia — recently expressed a desire to go to South Korea. Lee warned that repatriation to the North would be tantamount to a death sentence and called for international and human-rights support for their transfer.

From Dictatorship To Democracy

Since settling in South Korea, the 53-year-old has become an outspoken commentator, publishing regular columns and a memoir in Japanese titled "The Kim Jong Un I Witnessed", with an English edition planned. He said observing South Korea's political turbulence — including the late-2024 martial law declaration, an impeachment and the election of a new president — reinforced his appreciation for democratic resilience. "South Korea went on without a president following the impeachment for months. Even without a president, the system worked very well," he noted. "The North has completely deified its leadership," Lee added, arguing that such stability and accountability would be unimaginable in Pyongyang.

All quotes and details in this report are drawn from Lee Il-kyu's interview with AFP and his public writings since defecting.