South Korean officials say a man who defected from North Korea nearly a decade ago has been arrested and charged with spying for Pyongyang.

Authorities say the man, who was not identified, had a job with the Seoul city government supporting North Korean defectors.

He is accused of sending Pyongyang a full list of the defectors living in Seoul and details concerning their resettlement and living conditions.

Intelligence officials say the man is known to have visited North Korea via China several times. He defected from the North in 2004 and is believed to have family living there.