The International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), based in a nondescript terraced house on the outskirts of Vienna since 1985, is suspected of providing financial support to North Korea, as reported by the Austrian newspaper “DiePresse”. According to experts, the association, which organizes courses and competitions worldwide, acts as an instrument of “cultural diplomacy”. Thomas Riegler, historian and espionage expert, explains that the ITF enables North Korea to exert influence and conceal travel discreetly.
The president of the ITF, Ri Yong Son, a graduate of the elite Kim Jong-il Military Academy in Pyongyang, previously held key positions in the North Korean regime. His wife, a high-ranking agent, and other North Korean citizens are involved in the association. These connections should have led to suspicion earlier, but it was only the UN that raised the alarm about possible sanctions violations.
A long trail of machinations
The story of Jihyun Park is just one example of the threats posed by North Korean agents. Park, who has lived in England since 2008 and campaigns for human rights in North Korea, was due to speak in Vienna in June about her escape and the horrors of the Kim regime. Shortly before her departure, however, she received a package without a return address that contained a chip. What exactly the data storage device contained remains unclear, but Park was warned by the police that her life was at risk in Vienna. She stayed in England because “North Korean agents also kill abroad”, according to Park.
Illegal activities and international reactions
According to reports, an ITF official was suspected of giving lectures in the Czech Republic for high fees, with most of the money going to Pyongyang. In addition, another ITF official is alleged to have illegally traded in weapons, gold, and rhino horns in Cambodia. These activities served to finance the North Korean nuclear program. Although Austria subsequently ordered the expulsion of Ri Yong Son and ITF CFO Kim Kang Chol, the federation remained active in Vienna.
North Korea’s long-standing presence in Vienna
North Korea’s strong intelligence presence in Vienna is nothing new, as reported by “DiePresse”. North Korean agents have been using the city for decades to acquire sanctioned luxury goods and dual-use goods. Vienna’s geographical location, the density of international organizations, and its financial center offer ideal conditions for such activities. Even the “Golden Star Bank”, the only North Korean bank in the Western Hemisphere, could operate undisturbed until 2004.
According to Riegler, counterintelligence in Austria is weak, which allows North Korea to carry out its operations relatively unhindered. Even the procurement of components and knowledge for nuclear armament runs via Vienna. The North Korean agents take advantage of the high-security standards and access to international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Reactions and Future Developments
With Russia blocking the UN panel of experts monitoring North Korea sanctions in May, it is now up to the UN member states to monitor violations independently. The Austrian authorities are faced with the challenge of monitoring and containing the activities of North Korean agents. Cooperation with international partners will be crucial in this regard.
A complicated legacy
The ITF itself looks back on an eventful history. Founded by General Choi Hong-hi, a South Korean general who fled to Canada and later to Vienna after political conflicts, the federation has repeatedly made compromises. Choi, who is revered as a mythical figure in North Korea, adapted to the ideologies of the Kim regime to realize his vision of taekwondo.
Choi Hong-hi learned karate in Japan, took part in the resistance against the Japanese regime, and made a career in the South Korean military after the World War. However, political conflicts forced him to flee. He founded the ITF in Canada, moved its headquarters to Vienna in 1985, and finally cooperated with North Korea to pursue his dream.
Taekwondo as military training
The ITF sees itself as a peace project, but Jihyun Park describes a different reality. In North Korea, taekwondo is not just a sport, but military training. Every child is trained to become a taekwondo fighter to be able to fight against the regime’s enemies. Park is particularly concerned about Ukraine, as the Kim regime could now also support Russia’s war with soldiers. She emphasizes: “The ITF trains warriors. It has branches in Russia and Ukraine.” The whole thing is coordinated in Vienna.
The revelations about the ITF and North Korea’s activities in Vienna show how sport and culture can be used as a cover for political and illegal operations. It remains to be seen how Austria and the international community will react to this threat and what measures will be taken to ensure security and integrity. The story of Jihyun Park, who refrained from traveling to Vienna because of threats from North Korean agents, is a cautionary tale of the far-reaching arms of the Kim regime.
