Yonhap
4/24/2007
A senior North Korean diplomat who was deported from Zimbabwe a decade and a half ago for smuggling rhino horns out of the country has been named the country’s new ambassador to Italy, according to the North’s official media Tuesday.
In 1992, Han Tae-song, now a career diplomat in his mid-50s, was expelled from the southern African country on suspicion of being engaged in illicit trafficking in rhino horns.
Since then, Han has worked in the field of international organizations at the North’s Foreign Ministry, specializing in United Nations affairs, the Korean Central News Agency reported.
North Korea and Italy established diplomatic ties in January 2000.
