Journal De Bruxelles - North Korea taekwondo supremo that Austria can't kick

The oldest of the martial art's global bodies, it claims more than 100,000 members in "at least 100 countries".

But court documents seen by AFP show that for four years Austria has been trying to kick out Ri Yong Son, who it suspects of breaking United Nations sanctions by funnelling foreign currency to Pyongyang.

In a rare interview, an ITF official denied "any wrongdoing", telling AFP the body had "no contact with the North Korean state".

Vienna -- home to several international organisations including the Atomic Energy Agency, which has been blocked from inspecting North Korea's nuclear arsenal -- has been trying to discreetly revoke Ri's work permit since March 2020, claiming he "could harm Austria's reputation".

But judges were not convinced that Ri was involved in hidden financing, according to a court decision from July seen by AFP, hearing that he earns a relatively modest 5,256 euros ($5,702) a month.

The ITF official, who talked to AFP in a Vienna cafe on condition of anonymity, insisted that "there is no circumvention of United Nations sanctions". He said it simply organised competitions and sent out taekwondo master certificates to teachers who follow the North Korean style.

- 'Agents' -

But dissident Jihyun Park -- who speaks out against Pyongyang after escaping to the UK -- said the ITF president "is not an athlete".

"He, his wife, and his son are agents" who help funnel funds to Pyongyang, she told AFP.

Austria has not granted a visa to another North Korean who was due to join the Vienna office while Ri remains in Vienna, according to the ITF.

The federation was founded in 1966 by South Korean general Choi Hong-Hi, who later defected to the North. But it is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, which instead chose its upstart South Korean rival World Taekwondo (WT).

Park said it was all the more "urgent" for Austria to force the ITF out as North Korea deepens its cooperation with Moscow.

Pyongyang has been sending thousands of troops to fight Kyiv, according to western intelligence agencies, under a defence accord between the two countries that came into effect in December, as well as supplying Moscow with ammunition.

- Printing passports -

North Korea is an "important" country of interest for Austria's intelligence services, according to its head Omar Haijawi-Pirchner.

But espionage specialist Siegfried Beer warned that the neutral EU member of nine million people does not "have the means to seriously investigate" clandestine activities.

"Personnel and expertise are lacking, not to mention the language skills," Beer said, even as Austria hosts a plethora of international organisations -- with posts offering diplomatic immunity and a possible cover for espionage.

North Korea has long had deep Austrian links.

In 2010, a former Pyongyang diplomat in Vienna, Kim Jong Ryul, revealed he had bought weapons and luxury goods from across Europe for North Korea's dictators for 20 years without ever being investigated before defecting to Austria in 1994.

Kim Kwang-Sop, a brother-in-law of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung, was ambassador to Austria for 27 years until 2020. North Korea even had its passports printed in the Alpine country, according to local media.

C.Bertrand--JdB