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Four Corners: Sept 11

This BBC report interviews with former members of the North Korean regime & friends of assassinated Kim Jong-nam.

Four Corners screens a BBC report, “North Korea – Murder in the family” looking at how Kim Jong-un’s murderous ambitions are driving North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and threatening world peace.

This includes interviews with former members of the North Korean regime, former intelligence officers and friends of assassinated brother Kim Jong-nam.

“North Korea is at the last stage of perfecting its nuclear program …So I think this crisis is heading towards a finale.” Former CIA senior analyst

Across the globe, tensions are rising as North Korea flaunts its growing missile capability and nuclear weapons program. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, shows no sign of backing away from this high stakes game, prompting many to ask what’s motivating him.

“In order to survive (he) needed to show progress on the critical defence systems. This would be the missile systems and the nuclear systems. He needed to be able to show that North Korea had a viable deterrent.” Strategic affairs analyst

Kim Jong-un was only in his twenties when he was installed as North Korea’s leader, but holding onto power was not guaranteed.

“In order to survive he had to conduct politics inside the regime and politics inside North Korea is a blood sport, it is not something for the weak of heart.” Strategic affairs analyst

In this BBC film, the program traces Kim Jong-un’s rise to power and the lengths he’s gone to, to shore up his position, from aggressively pursuing a nuclear weapons program to eliminating potential rivals.

“Kim Jong-un has to make a decision whether he let his half brother, wandering around the world, meeting foreign journalists and saying negative words against Kim Jong-un’s leadership, or he should eliminate the physical existence of Kim Jong-nam.” Former North Korean diplomat

In February this year the North Korean dictator’s half-brother Kim Jong-nam was assassinated in Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur airport. The brazen murder, with the chemical weapon, VX, was like something out of a spy novel but behind the tabloid headlines, it revealed a frightening capacity.

“Chemical agents, in general, used in a military context can be loaded into bombs, mines, mortars, that type of thing. All chemical agents could kill huge numbers of people if it’s delivered effectively for their purposes.” Chemical weapons expert

In interviews with former members of the North Korean regime, former intelligence officers and friends of Kim Jong-nam, the program examines why he was such a threat to his half-brother.

“There was a movement, starting late last year to establish a government in exile and install Kim Jong-nam as its leader. The North Korean government found out about it.” Kim Jong-nam confidante

This investigation also sheds light on North Korea’s secret international business network which is helping to fund the regime.

“North Korea is very sophisticated in concealing the fact that it is, indeed, North Korea doing business overseas. It’s good at hiding in plain sight.” Defence analyst

Monday 11th September at 8.30pm on ABC.

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