He was accused of accepting bribes from a lobbyist who was also a member of South Korean intelligence.

Reports claim he is under watch by both North and South Korean intelligence.

The newspaper, which is known to have close contacts with South Korean intelligence, did not say how it obtained the essay.

Mr. Hwang is now in a secret location where he is being interviewed by South Korean intelligence.

Top South Korean intelligence and military officials have come under criticism for failing to learn of Kim's death before the official announcement by Pyongyang.

A week later, the powerful director of Korean intelligence was fired.

Much of what is said to be known about him is suspect because it comes from defectors whose views have been filtered through South Korean intelligence.

What they were doing was maintaining communications with intelligence agents-mostly Korean, though with a rare American involved-in North Korea.

One thing that seems clear is that Mr. Hwang's dissatisfaction was known to South Korean intelligence many months before he defected.

"It doesn't add up," said a long-time American specialist on North Korean intelligence.