Kim Han-sol, 25, has reportedly been taken into protective custody by the CIA. Screenshot / yle / YouTube
Kim Han-sol, 25, has reportedly been taken into protective custody by the CIA. Screenshot / yle / YouTube
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's rich nephew has reportedly been taken into protective custody by the CIA.
Kim Han-sol is the son of Kim's half brother Kim Jong-nam, who was allegedly murdered on orders of the dictator using a nerve agent in 2017.
It has been claimed that the exiled25-year-old - who is said to live a life of luxury - is now in hiding after surrendering to American intelligence services.
North Korean dissident group Free Joseon has claimed to have helped Kim's nephew escape following the death of his father, the New Yorker reports.
Adrian Hong, head of the group, said he had "never met a kid with so much money", and described him as carrying "wads of cash" and wearing "Gucci shoes".
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have had his half brother killed in Kuala Lumpur. Photo / AP
Hong said that he believes Han-sol's father - the oldest son of North Korea's previous ruler Kim Jong-il - had "stashed away a lot of cash during his life".
The ruling elite in North Korea are known to have an extraordinary level of wealth, with the Kim family owning yachts, palaces and a fleet of luxury cars.
Kim himself was educated in Switzerland and is believed to live a life decadence while his people are impoverished.
And all this wealth, along with help from the CIA, is reported to have allowed Han-sol to disappear after his father was murdered almost four years ago.
Hong claims his dissident group extracted him from his home in Macau, a territory of China.
He is claimed to have been introduced to the Free Joseon movement in 2013, and expressed an interest in exposing human rights abuses in North Korea.
Kim Jong-nam died after being attacked with the VX nerve agent while he was walking though Kuala Lumpur International Aiport. Photo / AP
Han-sol reportedly called Hong after he noticed the "police who typically guarded his house had disappeared".
Fearing for his life, he contacted the group and told them he needed to "get out of Macau as soon as possible".
He is said to have met members of the group in Taipei, Taiwan, two days after his father was killed.
There he is claimed to have boarded a plane to seek asylum in The Netherlands.
Han-sol is claimed to have never arrived at his destination.
It is alleged that two CIA agents attempted to intercept him at Taipei and he was later taken into protective custody and remains hidden.
Han-sol's last public appearance was a video clip released by Free Joseon in the weeks following his father's death.
During the 40-second video, he said: "My name is Kim Han-sol, from North Korea, part of the Kim family. Here's my passport.
"My father has been killed a few days ago. I'm currently with my mother and my sister."
Hong described Han-sol's mother as a pretty middle-aged woman in jeans, while his younger sister was "fluent in English and reminded him of an American teenager".
He also claimed that Kim's nephew fondly spoke of going "fishing with his grandfather" - chillingly referring to despot Kim Jong-il.
The activist assumes that Han-sol has claimed asylum in another country, but has said his group made a "mistake" losing him to the CIA.
Han-sol's father died after being attacked with the VX nerve agent while he was walking though Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
