NORTH Korea’s dictator has ordered the assassination of a British businessman in revenge for his role in the defection of a diplomat.

Kim Jong-un gave the order in a coded radio broadcast just weeks after his half-brother Kim Jong-nam was assassinated using toxic nerve agent VX.

3 Kim Jong-un has ordered the assassination of a Briton in a radio broadcast Credit: Getty Images

3 The order is in retaliation to the Brit’s role in the defection of Thae Yong-ho Credit: Reuters

The ordered hit against the Briton, who is understood to work in The City, marks the first time the Communist state has targeted non-Korean nationals, claims the Sunday Express.

In the same broadcast the despot also issued an instruction to kill an American national who is understood to have also helped Thae Yong-ho to defect to the West.

Thae was North Korea’s deputy ambassador to Britain who escaped the country’s rule last August following a six month game of cat-and-mouse with overlords in Pyonyang.

3 The order comes just weeks after Kim’s half-brother Kim Jong-nam was killed Credit: EPA

The eight-minute broadcast on Radio Pyongyang 10 days ago identified the two targets and began with the phrase: “I will review math assignments”.

It was also addressed to all those in the “21st exploration team” and went on to list a series of page numbers from an undisclosed book.

However, codebreakers - with help from Thae - worked out this was a secret order to kill the Briton and American.

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The message also alluded to a possible suicide action by agents who may one day be required to give “final victory” to North Korea.

Measures are now in place to protect the two men with the Briton understood to have acted as a middleman in the early stages of Thae's defection after they first met at a cocktail party in Whitehall.

It was also reported that after defecting Thae played an important role in helping the US sabotage two launches of Musadan missiles last October.

Although given the chance to settle his family in the West, Thae decided to relocate to Seoul in South Korea, telling agents: “These are my people.”

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