997: Christopher Ahn | A Marine in Kim Jong-un's Crosshairs Part Two

Mission Planning

Christopher Ahn recounts the meticulous planning behind the Madrid embassy raid, aimed at helping North Korean diplomats defect. He explains that the operation was designed to ensure the safety of all involved, preventing any family separations or difficult choices. The entire embassy staff had expressed a desire to defect, making the mission more complex and requiring careful coordination 1. Jordan Harbinger notes the involvement of Ahn's lawyer, Naan Rim, who is working to protect him from North Korean agents 2.

When I arrived, I understood why they were asking me multiple times to come, because this was a bigger operation than normal. You were asking a mass defection, and that needed to be coordinated.

--- Christopher Ahn

The plan was to provide enough coverage for the entire embassy to leave without raising suspicions, a strategy that had become necessary as North Korean diplomats were increasingly disappearing without explanation 1.

   

Mid-Mission Issues

The mission faced significant challenges, including a defector who panicked and alerted authorities. Christopher Ahn describes how one woman either changed her mind or got scared, leading her to jump off a balcony and seek help, which compromised the mission 3. This unexpected turn of events caused confusion and fear among the remaining defectors, complicating the operation further.

The idea was to go in, do our little act in front of the cameras to make sure that we've got enough cover in, out, bing, bang, boom.

--- Christopher Ahn

Despite the initial plan, the situation deteriorated quickly, with some participants deciding not to go through with the defection, leading to a chaotic and ultimately unsuccessful mission 4.

   

Post-Mission Fallout

After the mission, Christopher Ahn faced serious consequences, including interactions with the FBI and threats from North Korea. He initially cooperated with the FBI, believing he had done nothing wrong, even offering them homemade snickerdoodles during their meeting 5. However, he later learned that North Korea had discovered his identity and planned to assassinate him, a revelation that shocked him and raised questions about how his identity was leaked 6.

The FBI called me and said, like, look, they know your identity. We have positive, confirmed reports that they're going to try to assassinate you.

--- Christopher Ahn

Ahn now faces extradition to Spain, where he fears for his life due to potential North Korean agents operating there 6.