Former N.K. pointman on Seoul said to be working at chicken farm

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's pointman on South Korea, who was earlier
said to have been sacked for misjudgment, is said to be undergoing what sources
called "severe" communist training at a chicken farm, sources here said Sunday.
Choe Sung-chol, once a vice chairman of the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, the
North's state organization handling inter-Korean affairs, was reported to have
been dismissed in early 2008 for what sources called his misjudgment on South
Korea's new conservative administration under President Lee Myung-bak.
The report came amid renewed tension between the divided Koreas following North
Korea's decision late last year to enforce stricter border control, which has
effectively halted visits by South Korean tourists to the communist nation.
Since Lee was inaugurated as South Korea's president in February last year, the
relationship between Seoul and Pyongyang has hit its lowest point in over a
decade.
"I heard he (Choe) is undergoing revolution training at a large chicken farm in
Hwanghae Province," a source said Sunday, asking not to be identified.
Political dissidents in North Korea are said to often undergo training on the
communist revolution that includes hard labor in severe environments, such as
mines or other labor camps.
Choe, 52, became better known to South Korean officials and the public in 2007,
when he closely escorted then South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun throughout his
visit to Pyongyang for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. He is also
known to have played a key role in arranging the summit.
Seoul officials have acknowledged the dismissal of Choe, but could not confirm
his whereabouts or why he was sacked.
"He has been undergoing training for about a year now, so it really is hard to
tell whether he will be reinstated or not," another source said, also speaking on
condition of anonymity. "The possibility is about half and half, considering
other cases in the past."
North Korea watchers say those who are sacked, but who retain their government
positions while undergoing labor training, are sometimes allowed to return to
work in less than six months. However, those who are completely dismissed from
their posts often disappear.
"As an official who has served as a vice chairman of a special committee of the
Workers' Party, Choe might have a greater chance of returning to his post, but
whether he will or not really depends on how much the North Korean leader trusts
him and when the inter-Korean relationship will thaw," a source said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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