Thae Yong-ho was a former North Korean Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the highest-ranking diplomat to have defected to South Korea. His defection in 2016 was driven by a profound desire to secure a future of freedom for his two sons, who had grown accustomed to life in London.
Since arriving in Seoul, the former diplomat has become a leading voice for democracy and human rights for North Korean people. He made history in 2020 as the first North Korean defector to be elected to South Korea’s National Assembly through a direct constituency vote, representing Seoul’s Gangnam District.
In 2024, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, marking the highest-ranking Government post ever held by a North Korean defector.
An accomplished author, his best-selling memoir, Passcode to the Third Floor, was released in English in April 2024, offering a rare and poignant glimpse into the inner workings of the North Korean regime.
He completed his bachelors in International Relations from Pyongyang University of International Relations and successfully pursued another bachelors in English Literature from the Beijing Foreign Studies University China and completed his Masters in Legal Studies from Kookmin University in Seoul.
