Sources inside North Korea’s capital city have revealed details of an incident involving an assault on a high-level cadre by a senior-ranked soldier belonging to Kim Jong Un’s Supreme Guard Command (SGC). It is expected that the military authorities will make an example out of the soldier to reign in military discipline more broadly.
“There was a violent incident at a ‘No. 10 Guard Post’ (a checkpoint on a major road surrounding the city) outside Pyongyang at around 10 pm on January 30,” a source in Pyongyang told Daily NK on February 19.
“A cadre with the surname Jon was transporting top-secret documents and was stopped at the checkpoint, but was attacked by the inspecting officer, an SGC soldier with the surname Pak; Mr. Pak also took the military badge from another officer at the scene – a major named Rim.”
According to the source, Pak was extremely drunk when the incident unfolded. Pak is also accused of failing to adhere to rules stipulating that he must have a partner working with him at all times, which he may have ignored in order to more easily extract bribes from drivers in exchange for visa-free passage. It is suspected that Jon reprimanded Park after being asked for a bribe, and that Pak attacked Jon in response.
“Members of the SGC answer directly to Kim Jong Un, so they are known for being rude and arrogant. As Pak was used to making a living from these bribes, he likely conjured up a reason to demand a bribe from Jon and then caused trouble when it was refused,” he explained.
“Park should have known better than to lift a finger against a high-ranking cadre who was delivering important state secrets, but it appears that he is not a very careful person.”
While it is typical for individuals to be sent to a labor or reeducation camp for this sort of crime, the punishment in this case is likely to be much more severe due to the fact that Jon was carrying top-secret documents. The source noted that some are calling for the public execution of Pak, but that his punishment has not yet been decided.
The authorities may use the incident as an opportunity to improve military discipline, handing down severe punishment for Park to deter similar behavior by soldiers in the future.
On February 1, Kim Jong Un himself announced that the incident constituted a”crime against the revolution” and that strict punishment must be handed down in accordance with the law. He also announced that “border security forces would be receiving instructions detailing the establishment of iron-clad military discipline,” a separate source in Pyongyang familiar with the incident said.
“It may have been expected that these high-level SGC soldiers, with solid backgrounds (songbun) and who worked hard to get to their position, would be engaged in extortion, but (Kim Jong Un) was probably shocked that one would go so far as to attack a high-level cadre,” he added.
“It is highly likely that he will use this as an opportunity to initiate a thorough review of the ideological purity of the other (SGC) members.”
