Chinese Ex-Envoy Accused of Spying

Former Chinese ambassador to Korea Li Bin has been detained and questioned by Chinese police on charges of leaking state secrets, it emerged over the weekend. Li was the envoy in Seoul from September 2001 to August 2005. After returning to China, he was ambassador in charge of North Korean nuclear affairs. Li was suddenly summoned to Beijing last December while serving as deputy mayor of Weihai in China’s eastern Shandong Province and his name disappeared from the list of nominees for deputy mayor.  [Chosun Ilbo]

I wonder who they think he was spying for, or whether  he pissed off the wrong guy while running for that  deputy mayor’s job.  Anyway, it’s always different to read about a spying scandal that doesn’t involve a South Korean spying for the North … which we haven’t since Roh did his quick switch of management in the National Intelligence Service.

[backdated from 2/20]