Gov't Boosts Reward for Intelligence from N.Korean Defectors

The government is quadrupling the reward for North Korean defectors who come to South Korea with valuable intelligence or other crucial assets to W1 billion (US$1=W1,158). The last time the government increased the money was back in 1997.

The Unification Ministry on Sunday said defectors who bring the South valuable military assets will get up to W1 billion for a naval vessel or fighter jet, up from the current W150 million, W300 million for a tank or guided weapon, up from W50 million, and W50 million for an artillery piece, machine gun or rifle.

The higher reward aims to prod more members of the North Korean elite to defect after the defection of a former deputy ambassador to the U.K.

"Thirty thousand North Korean defectors who came to South Korea have been given resettlement assistance, but only a few hundred received rewards," a ministry spokesman said. "It's an incentive for defectors to offer valuable information."

He added the hike reflects inflation.

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