Canadian North Korea expert reportedly detained in Switzerland on espionage charges
Idyllic-looking Geneva is not a stranger to spy stories.
Keystone
Select your language
Generated with artificial intelligence.
Listening: Canadian North Korea expert reportedly detained in Switzerland on espionage charges
A former United Nations official from Canada who now works as a North Korea specialist has been detained in Switzerland on charges of spying, likely for China, media reports said on Thursday, citing unnamed intelligence sources.
The reports were part of a joint investigation by the German news outlet Der Spiegel, the Swiss media company Tamedia and North Korea-focused website NK News.
The Swiss attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.
The suspect regularly travelled to China for his work as an environmental consultant before being arrested earlier in the spring on espionage charges, said NK News, an online outlet that has staff in the US, Europe and South Korea.
It said it did not publish the official’s full name as he has not been convicted and authorities have not made public charges against him.
The person, in his 50s and a resident of Geneva, was in pretrial detainment for several months pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Swiss attorney general’s office, the NK News report said.
More
More
Foreign Affairs
Switzerland’s hands-off approach to espionage
This content was published on
Geneva is one of the world’s espionage hotspots, and the Swiss authorities have long come to terms with it.
Swiss foreign minister praises improved relations with Italy
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday with the good relations that Switzerland has developed with Italy.
Boating and swimming to be banned on part of River Aare in Bern
This content was published on
From September, the city and canton of Bern will be carrying out extensive construction work on the River Aare to protect against flooding and to renovate the Marzili outdoor pool.
Moutier: foreigners familiarise themselves with right to vote
This content was published on
From 2026, Moutier will be part of the Swiss canton of Jura, gaining more than 1,000 new voters. On Monday around 50 people were informed about their new rights.
Switzerland ‘more than ready’ to host Ukraine summit
This content was published on
Switzerland is more than ready to host a summit between Russia and Ukraine, says Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, highlighting Switzerland's expertise in this area.
This content was published on
Every second aircraft at Zurich Airport took off late this summer. However, the situation has already improved significantly compared to last year.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.