N. Korean biochemical expert flees to Finland: source

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean expert on biochemical weapons defected to Finland last month, carrying gigabytes of human experiment results with him, a source said Thursday.

The 47-year-old researcher, identified only by his surname Lee, at a microbiology research center in Ganggye, Chagang Province, bordered by China to the north, fled to the European country on June 6 via the Philippines, said the source from a North Korean human rights group.

"His ostensible reason for defection is that he felt skeptical about his research," the source told Yonhap News Agency.

Lee held a data storage device with 15 gigabytes of information on human experiments in order to bring North Korea's inhumane tests to light, according to the source.

The North Korean defector will give testimony before the European parliament later this month.
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