VIENNA, March 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - It is easy to miss the headquarters of the 
International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), which is run by a North Korean 
from a modest house on the outskirts of Vienna, a city with a long reputation 
as a nest of spies.

The oldest of the martial art's global bodies, it claims more than 100,000 
members in "at least 100 countries".

But court documents seen by AFP show that for four years Austria has been 
trying to kick out Ri Yong Son, who it suspects of breaking United Nations 
sanctions by funnelling foreign currency to Pyongyang.

In a rare interview, an ITF official denied "any wrongdoing", telling AFP the 
body had "no contact with the North Korean state".

Vienna -- home to several international organisations including the Atomic 
Energy Agency, which has been blocked from inspecting North Korea's nuclear 
arsenal -- has been trying to discreetly revoke Ri's work permit since March 
2020, claiming he "could harm Austria's reputation".

But judges were not convinced that Ri was involved in hidden financing, 
according to a court decision from July seen by AFP, hearing that he earns a 
relatively modest 5,256 euros ($5,702) a month.

The ITF official, who talked to AFP in a Vienna cafe on condition of 
anonymity, insisted that "there is no circumvention of United Nations 
sanctions". He said it simply organised competitions and sent out taekwondo 
master certificates to teachers who follow the North Korean style.

- 'Agents' -

But dissident Jihyun Park -- who speaks out against Pyongyang after escaping 
to the UK -- said the ITF president "is not an athlete".

"He, his wife, and his son are agents" who help funnel funds to Pyongyang, 
she told AFP.

Austria has not granted a visa to another North Korean who was due to join 
the Vienna office while Ri remains in Vienna, according to the ITF.

The federation was founded in 1966 by South Korean general Choi Hong-Hi, who 
later defected to the North. But it is not recognised by the International 
Olympic Committee, which instead chose its upstart South Korean rival World 
Taekwondo (WT).

Park said it was all the more "urgent" for Austria to force the ITF out as 
North Korea deepens its cooperation with Moscow.

Pyongyang has been sending thousands of troops to fight Kyiv, according to 
western intelligence agencies, under a defence accord between the two 
countries that came into effect in December, as well as supplying Moscow with 
ammunition.

- Printing passports -

North Korea is an "important" country of interest for Austria's intelligence 
services, according to its head Omar Haijawi-Pirchner.

But espionage specialist Siegfried Beer warned that the neutral EU member of 
nine million people does not "have the means to seriously investigate" 
clandestine activities.

"Personnel and expertise are lacking, not to mention the language skills," 
Beer said, even as Austria hosts a plethora of international organisations -- 
with posts offering diplomatic immunity and a possible cover for espionage.

North Korea has long had deep Austrian links.

In 2010, a former Pyongyang diplomat in Vienna, Kim Jong Ryul, revealed he 
had bought weapons and luxury goods from across Europe for North Korea's 
dictators for 20 years without ever being investigated before defecting to 
Austria in 1994.

Kim Kwang-Sop, a brother-in-law of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung, was 
ambassador to Austria for 27 years until 2020. North Korea even had its 
passports printed in the Alpine country, according to local media.