Last week, media reported that yet another defection of a high-level North Korean official has taken place.

This time, it was Jo Song Gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Italy, who is on the run. Having reportedly applied for asylum, he and his family are now under the protection by the Italian security services.

Predictably, international media are presenting this defection as a “heavy blow” to the Kim regime.

This might be indeed the case, ambassador defections are not that common. Jo Song Gil might be of additional importance because the North Korean embassy in Italy is also charged