of war, truce violations and unearthed bodies from secret mass killings—continued to dominate foreign news dispatches in American and European newspapers. A large American and international press contingent remained in Seoul. For these reporters, the defection of a Communist MiG pilot was the juiciest story in weeks. It had military, diplomatic and strategic implications—and a wonderful human-interest core. More than 200 journalists wanted to photograph the North Korean and find out why he had swiped a MiG. They packed the press conference, which was held in a building where many correspondents lived. When No was ushered into the room by a large African-American Air Force sergeant holding a submachine gun, row upon row of television lights stunned him. Wearing U.S. Air Force fatigues, a peaked fatigue cap thatwas several sizes too small and North Korean underwear, he stood at a table loaded with microphones. He spoke slowly through an interpreter, choosing his words carefully and struggling to contain his fear.

For an hour and a half, he answered questions and made global news. He was the first defector since the end of the war and the first eyewitness to explain publicly that Soviet pilots had trained North Koreans like himself to fly MiGs. He described how legions of Soviet pilots had participated in air-to-air jet combat against Americans throughout the Korean War. He also explained, again as the first eyewitness to speak to the Western press, that North Korea was currently bringing in warplanes from Manchuria in violation of the armistice.

Asked if North Korean leaders believed