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N Korea`s Kim allegedly plotted to kill Trudeau, Chun
North Korea allegedly plotted to kill former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and then-South Korean President Chun Doo-Hwan in 1981, Canada`s former ambassador to South Korea has told a daily.
North Korea allegedly plotted to kill former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and then-South Korean President Chun Doo-Hwan in 1981, Canada's former ambassador to South Korea has told a daily.
“North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il engineered the alleged plot, paying two Canadians a $ 400,000 to carry out the assassination,” said William Bauer, Canadian ambassador to South Korea from 1981 to 1984.
Chun was the primary target of the alleged plot, but Trudeau was a target of opportunity, as the two were to meet during the latter's two-day state visit to South Korea in September 1981 which had been announced a month earlier, Bauer told The Globe and Mail Daily on Monday in an exclusive interview.
“The plan fell apart after the two Canadians paid for the alleged assassination attempt absconded with the money,” said Bauer, who left the foreign service in 1989.
Bauer said that Kim, son of Kim Il-Sung, North Korea's supreme leader at the time, was in charge of foreign intelligence operations for the Communist regime. Following his father's death in 1994, he became top leader.
Bauer said that he became aware of the alleged plot months after the visit took place.
“This was a shadowy operation and the South Koreans knew some details about the conspiracy but not everything,” He said, adding he learned of the plot through senior South Korean security and intelligence officers.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police would not confirm or deny the story.
Chun was the primary target of the alleged plot, but Trudeau was a target of opportunity, as the two were to meet during the latter's two-day state visit to South Korea in September 1981 which had been announced a month earlier, Bauer told The Globe and Mail Daily on Monday in an exclusive interview.
“The plan fell apart after the two Canadians paid for the alleged assassination attempt absconded with the money,” said Bauer, who left the foreign service in 1989.
Bauer said that Kim, son of Kim Il-Sung, North Korea's supreme leader at the time, was in charge of foreign intelligence operations for the Communist regime. Following his father's death in 1994, he became top leader.
Bauer said that he became aware of the alleged plot months after the visit took place.
“This was a shadowy operation and the South Koreans knew some details about the conspiracy but not everything,” He said, adding he learned of the plot through senior South Korean security and intelligence officers.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police would not confirm or deny the story.
Bureau Report