The Mole: Undercover in North Korea

The Mole: Undercover in North Korea
Muldvarpen – Undercover i Nordkorea
GenreDocumentary
Directed byMads Brügger
Country of originDenmark, Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom
No. of episodes3 (2 in English version)
Production
Production companies
Original release
Release11 October 2020 (2020-10-11)
Related
Det Røde Kapel
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The Mole: Undercover in North Korea is a 2020 documentary miniseries written and directed by Mads Brügger that managed to record plans of large-scale illegal weapon distributions, methamphetamine laboratories, and money laundering. The series follows Ulrich Larsen, called "the Mole", a former chef living on benefits who spends 10 years infiltrating the Korean Friendship Association (KFA).[1] He quickly rises through the ranks and gains the trust of KFA leader Alejandro Cao de Benós from Spain.[1] Cao de Benós tells the Mole that he is looking for possible investors that are willing to invest in North Korea, despite sanctions against the country. Brügger decides to inject into the story a "Mr James" (Jim Latrache-Qvortrup), pretending to be a possible investor.[2]

After a meeting with Cao de Benós about possible sale of drugs and weapons from North Korea, the Mole and Mr. James travel to North Korea, where they sign a contract with North Korea to produce drugs and weapons in another country.[3] Mr James meets the North Koreans officials again in Uganda, where they discuss buying an island in Lake Victoria in Uganda to construct an underground drugs and weapons manufactory, under the disguise of establishing a luxury hotel.[4] The series later won "best documentary" at the Danish Robert Awards in 2021.[5]

The filming of the documentary leads Ulrich to North Korea, and around the world, to initiate negotiations of cross-continental Scud missiles, weapons, and methamphetamine between North Korea and a fake businessman. This exposed how North Korea attempts to avoid the strict sanctions placed against the regime.[4]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference guardian_2020-10-12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Kristiansen, Annegerd Lerche (11 October 2020). "Instruktør Mads Brügger lod familiefar infiltrere Nordkorea: 'Det kunne være endt helt forfærdeligt'" [Director Mads Brügger let family man infiltrate North Korea: 'It could have ended terribly']. DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  3. ^ Kristiansen, Annegerd Lerche (11 October 2020). Schou, Kim (ed.). "Muldvarpen i Nordkorea" [The mole in North Korea]. DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b Adams, Paul (11 October 2020). "Documentary claims to expose North Korea trying to dodge sanctions". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Robert Prisen – Muldvarpen - Undercover i Nordkorea".