Manatt Trial, White Collar and Investigations Leader Naeun Rim was featured on CBS News’ 60 Minutes discussing her representation of a U.S. veteran, who is fighting an extradition request from Spain due to his alleged role in attempting to help North Korean officials defect from an embassy in Madrid.
In 2019, U.S. Veteran Christopher Ahn joined Cheollima Civil Defense in an effort to help 10 North Korean embassy members in Madrid defect, but after the group was alarmed by the arrival of Spanish police, the team fled. After Ahn returned to America, he learned that Spain requested he be extradited on attempted kidnapping charges and that he had become a North Korean target, both of which meant his life could be at risk if he returned to Madrid.
While the Secretary of State and President have the power to prevent Ahn from being extradited, historically, "There are almost no instances where the State Department has stepped in and stopped an extradition," Rim said. "But there are also no cases where the extradition request is actually being driven by North Korea, a country that the United States does not have diplomatic ties with for a reason."
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