{"id":4709,"date":"2020-09-03T17:22:50","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T08:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4709"},"modified":"2020-09-22T18:47:11","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T09:47:11","slug":"fearstate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2020\/09\/military\/fearstate\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e \u201cCity of Fear\u201d: State Security Command Deployed from Capital as Economic Deterioration Gives Rise to Drug Trafficking, Prostitution, and Organized Crime"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

(Photo) A soldier inspecting residents as they enter a Pyongyang subway station. People who are deemed to be dressed too \u201cshabbily\u201d are not allowed to enter. Photographed in June 2011 in the Daesung District of Pyongyang by Koo Kwang-ho (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6 Ministry of State Security Command deployed to Hoeryong City<\/h2>\n

The North Korean authorities reportedly deployed the Ministry of State Security Command to Hoeryong City, North Hamkyung Province in early August in an attempt to clamp down on crime in the area. Over the last month of the crackdown, there has apparently been a large number of arrests, as the authorities have sought to root out organized crime and combat drug traficking and prostitution. Reporting partners across various regions of the country contributed to this report. (Kang Ji-won)<\/em><\/p>\n

The State Security Ministry Command is a secret police organization of the military that monitors soldiers and detects anti-Kim Jong-un elements. Though monitoring of the general population is left to the local police and secret police, the Social Security Ministry Command may be deployed in important cases.<\/p>\n

News of the Social Security Ministry Command being deployed to Hoeryong quickly spread to nearby cities, raising tensions and causing residents to fear that the command may be deployed to their region next.<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> reporting partner explained the situation in Hoeryong thusly, \u201cSocial Security Command officers dispatched from Pyongyang have formed investigation teams in cooperation with local police and secret police bureaus. Residents are afraid because they do not forgive even the most minor of infractions and ruthlessly pursue investigations. They do not accept bribes at all.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

But why have Social Security Command officers been deployed to Hoeryong, a city located near the Chinese border? The rationale behind the decision was perhaps linked to the increase in crime that has resulted from the worsening local economic situation.<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Increase in daily crime and prostitution<\/h2>\n

To prevent the influx of the coronavirus, North Korean authorities sealed off the Chinese border in late January. Due to the resulting restrictions placed on movement and logistics, the domestic economy has rapidly deteriorated and many people have struggled to deal with the loss of their cash income. As a result of these circumstances, crime has risen in many local areas.<\/p>\n

Another reporting partner B<\/strong> from North Hamkyung Province explained the extent of the issues faced by the local population, saying, \u201cThere has been an increase in drug use, prostitution, and theft. Even though there is no money going around, more and more people are using stimulant drugs. The drugs are being sold in small increments of 0.1 grams. There have been many women placed under arrest.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

So why did the authorities\u2019 response begin in Hoeryong? According to the aforementioned reporting partner A<\/strong> from the area, \u201cThe production of the stimulant drugs was originally concentrated in Hamheung and Pyeongseong, however, in recent times, there has been much production in Hoeryong, closer to the Chinese border. Also, local crime- drug trafficking and smuggling to China and prostitution has become organized.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u203b Hamheung and Pyeongseong are major cities in the central region of the country and, as they are home to chemical factories, the cities were used as hubs for the manufacture and distribution of stimulant drugs.
\nNextPage: \u25c6Residents subjected to ruthless investigations...<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6 Residents subjected to ruthless investigations<\/h2>\n

The heavy-handedness of the investigative teams, based out of the Social Security Command, is terrorizing Hoeryong residents. This is because large numbers of arrests are being made through sting operations and home searches without warrants.<\/p>\n

The aforementioned reporting A<\/strong> partner explained, \u201cWhen a suspect is detained, their relatives are also arrested and interrogated. In mid-August, when an acquaintance of mine was investigated for drugs, even their middle school student child was detained. Since bribery won\u2019t work, they say everybody simply confesses- ranging from crimes committed way in the past to even executive corruption.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Kim Jong-un regime declared a state of emergency and issued a special alert in late July to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Though the economy is continuing to deteriorate, the regime is focused on preventing the collapse of social order. As such, it is certainly possible that the Social Security Ministry Command will be deployed to other cities in the future as well.<\/p>\n

\u203b ASIAPRESS contacts its reporting partners in North Korea through smuggled Chinese mobile phones.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Map of North Korea (produced by ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\uff1cRelated Article\uff1e<\/div>\n