About this episode
North Korea is one of the world’s most secretive states – known for its dictators who are treated like gods and an iron-clad grip on their citizens. Back in 1988, six members of the Official IRA made their way to North Korea to receive state of the art training – some were expelled from the country after a drunken brawl. The unusual alliance came as secretary general of the Irish Workers Party, Sean Garland, allegedly laundered millions of fake dollars for the Kim dynasty.
Olivia Peden is joined by journalist and author John Sweeney, who has visited the strange nation.
This podcast was originally published in February 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Get every episode summarized
Each time The BelTel publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from The BelTel
Noah Donohoe: Jury hears ninth week of evidence
The BelTel
Stormont’s extreme censorship of Famine remarks – and how we unravelled it
The BelTel
Youtuber Stephen McCullagh guilty of murdering of Natalie McNally
The BelTel
Rory O’Connor: The Anti-Treaty IRA leader executed by his former friends
The BelTel