[imText1]Yanji, China — It is reported that conflict has broken out between the Party and the military over the murder of a military laborer who was gunned down and killed in Hyesan of Yangkang Province on February 28th by an agent from the state’s ‘inspection unit against anti-socialism activities.’
A source from Yangkang Province said in a telephone conversation with the Daily NK on March 10th, “In the morning of February 28th, a local resident at Railroad Village in Wiyeon-dong 25-Ban in Hyesan was shot and killed by a security agent from the state inspection unit for the reason of being non-cooperative to the inspection.”
The source said, “The agent who killed the resident is originally from another province and was transferred to the security agency of Yangkang Province. And the deceased is a mechanic employed at the No. 8 Bureau, which provide military supplies to the Korean People’s Army, stationed in Hyesan.”
“The atmosphere in the city of Hyesan has gotten very tense as the military and the party accuse each other of being responsible for the incident.”
The incident took place in 25-Ban, Wiyeon-dong in Hyesan, which is also called “Railroad Village” because it is close to the Wiyeon [Railroad] Station and many residents are employed at the station. The village has been undergoing ight inspection because it is adjunct to Kangan-dong which is the major smuggling route in Hyesan.
It is reported that the murdered mechanic was on his way to work when the security agent stopped him for inspection in his neighborhood at around seven thirty in the morning on February 28th. The agent was suspicious of the heavy bag the mechanic was carrying, and searched the mechanic’s body and bag. The agent found in the bag a bottle of Chinese liquor and tools.
The agent tried to take the bottle away from the mechanic saying that it must have been smuggled. The mechanic protested bitterly saying, “I bought it at a Jangmadang [market]. If you must say this single bottle of liquor was smuggled, why shouldn’t I say the Chinese glasses and shoes you are wearing were smuggled too?”
The source said, “As a fight broke out between the agent and the mechanic, people began to crowd around them. Then, as the mechanic tried to leave the scene saying he was getting late for work. the enraged agent pulled out a gun and shot the mechanic in front of the crowd.”
Upon hearing of the incident, the victim’s family and neighbors ran to the scene, which soon became chaotic as they began to scream and cry. Soldiers of the No.8 Bureau also came to the scene, fully armed. The soldiers ran around wildly saying they would shoot and kill all those “Gruppa [North Korean word for the inspection unit] bastards.”
The source said “The No.8 Bureau’s brigade commander and political committee member, who is in charge of labors’ political lives of the bureau, directly protested to both the party and the inspection group of Yangkang province and demanded severe punishment for the agent since the deceased was a laborer employed at her bureau. However, neither of each is willing to take responsibility for the incident.”
The source said that local people are getting furious and the incident is getting out of hand as it became known that both the party and the inspection group justified the killing saying, “Although the agent made a mistake, the main cause of the incident was the mechanic’s failure to properly cooperate with the inspection.”
The head of 25-Ban of Wiyeon-dong and its residents came out and protested, saying, “No one would likely smuggle a single bottle of liquor [for the sake of profit]. The man bought it at Jangmadang. What did the man do wrong?” In addition, soldiers of the No.8 Bureau are putting pressure on the concerned parties saying, “The agent had no evidence that the bottle was smuggled, but tried to take it away anyway. In that situation, no one would have easily given away the bottle.”
The source said, “We do not know for sure who will come out a winner. However, under the regime which practices “Military First” politics, the military holds a great power. Moreover, local people think badly of the concerned inspection unit which was deployed from another province, and therefore the authorities would not be able to take sides with the inspection unit.”
“The situation here is serious because a local man was shot and killed in broad daylight. However, it is still unclear how this incident will turn out as the military and the party continue to argue against each other as to who needs to be held responsible for the incident.” the source said.
