ITAR-TASS of Russia said that Jon Yong Chol, defector to south Korea, admitted his treason at the press conference by local and foreign reporters on July 19.

It went on:

He said he agreed to perpetrate such a hideous crime of blowing up a statue of President Kim Il Sung in a border city in the DPRK in a bid to destabilize the public in return for the reward he got from a south Korean intelligence agency in Seoul.

He crossed the border at night on June 18 to infiltrate into the border city. He was arrested by security men of the DPRK while going back toward the border.

He said south Korean intelligence agencies and the U.S. are involved in the secret operation and a special group was organized for its execution.

The statue was to be blown up by use of a powerful explosive device which can be operated by a remote-controller, he added.

He confirmed the security of the secret border route on May 13, he noted, confessing that the day of "undertaking" was scheduled to be on July 27, anniversary of the victory in war.

UPI, the New York Times of the U.S. and Jiji of Japan also reported the press conference.