Officials in Seoul have confirmed that North Korea's deputy ambassador in London has defected to South Korea.
Deputy ambassador Thae Yong Ho has become the highest-ranking Pyongyang diplomat ever to flee the isolated regime.
South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee in Seoul confirmed the defection.
"I am aware that Thae defected due to his yearn for liberal democracy of the Republic of Korea and for the future of his child."
Thae and his family had been living in west London.
He worked at the North Korean embassy, and spoke frequently at far-left events, often making impassioned speeches in defence of North Korea.
Now, Jeong says Thae and his family are under government protection in South Korea