North Korean Spy Specialist Shifts To South; Many Senior N Koreans Defect

Last year, a North Korean top-ranking official defected to South Korea, pointed out defense officials in Seoul, South Korea, Monday. Apparently, a colonel employed in the North's General Reconnaissance Bureau just upped and left last year.

Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun gave the minor details at a press briefing in Seoul. The South's Ministry of Unification said that defection of the colonel points to the instability of the North.

Interestingly, the defector  was a special espionage official in the North and was given political asylum by South Korea after he left the North.

North Korea's General Reconnaissance Bureau tries to infiltrate computer networks of the South and other countries. It is also believed to have successfully hacked into Sony Pictures' computers in 2014.

South Korea's Unification Ministry said another senior North Korean diplomat who had been posted in an African country also decided to migrate to the South with his family.

About 13 North Koreans were said to have defected  and were allegedly workers at a Chinese restaurant who became disillusioned about North Korea after they got exposed to the world outside North Korea.

Much of North Korea's revenue is sourced from employees working abroad and operating businesses like restaurants in various countries, such as China.

The Chinese government officially confirmed the defection. The foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "After an investigation, (we found) the 13 North Koreans used valid passports to leave the country normally in the early hours of April 6. What needs to be stressed is that these people had valid identity documents and legally came to the country, not North Koreans who have entered illegally."

North Korea has not put out any official statement.