The South Korean media has seen a recent influx of reports on defections of high-ranking North Korean officials’, leading to speculation of an impending collapse. Experts are far from certain however, with one telling NK News such speculation is irresponsible.

On Friday, Channel A – a subsidiary of the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper – reported the defection of Park Seung Won, who once worked as a vice representative for the defense ministerial talks in 2000 at Jeju Island and who also directed the building of the Masikryong Ski Resort in 2013.

“Park is the highest-ranking official defector since the defection of