North Korean diplomats in Myanmar have confiscated hundreds of copies of a locally published biography on the Stalinist state’s reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il, the book’s author said yesterday.
Prominent Burmese writer Hein Latt, 62, said two senior embassy officials visited his home and took away the remaining 300 copies of the book, which they said was “false and inaccurate” and could endanger ties between the two countries.
“I handed over these books just because I don’t want to take the trouble to sort out whatever consequences will appear,” Hein Latt said, adding he had received no complaints from the authorities in military-ruled Myanmar.
There was no immediate explanation as to why diplomats were confiscating books in a foreign country.
North Korea and Myanmar have developed a close diplomatic relationship, causing concern among Asian and Western countries fearful the two countries could be cooperating on issues related to nuclear weapons technology.
North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun is currently in Myanmar on a four-day visit.
Hein Latt, who has authored about 25 biographies, including books on US President Barack Obama, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), said about 700 copies of his book had been sold since it was published two months ago.
He said the biography, entitled Kim Jong-Il: The Dear Leader of North Korea, had been approved by the Press Scrutiny Department of the Ministry of Information. It was written in the Burmese language.
The embassy officials said the book contained false information because it made references to other texts published in North America about Kim, son of North Korea’s late founder, Kim Il-sung, the country’s “eternal” president.
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