Shenyang, China — A gunfight on October 22nd between train security agents and soldiers in Manpo, a border town across the Yalu River from Jian, China caused six deaths, it has emerged.
A source from Yangkang Province reported in a telephone conversation with the Daily NK that, “On the 22nd of last month, in Manpo Station a gunfight between the train security agents (who act as both conductor and law enforcement on the trains in North Korea) and soldiers broke out and six died. Meanwhile, it was pandemonium around the station while passengers waiting for trains and residents stampeded from the place and several other persons were hurt.”
According to the source, the train service between Hyesan and Manpo was cancelled due to a power cut, so enough passengers for two trains were crowded in the station on the day of the incident.
At the time, the wife of an officer with a baby on her back tried to get on a train and a conductor held her back. Although she explained that her husband had already boarded the train, taking their luggage and her train ticket, too. The conductor did not believe her, since it is a common excuse for a free ride.
While they were quarreling with each other, the train started leaving and the woman tried to hang on, but the conductor pushed her out. She finally swung around the end of the carriage, down onto the railroad, was hit by the train and was killed with her baby.
Her husband, an officer, eventually worked his way to the place of the incident and, knowing the whole story, beat the agent to death. He died while surrounded by the crowd.
Upon witnessing this, other agents apparently shot the officer in a rage. One of the officer’s friends, another military officer, shot the other agent with his rifle; another agent witnessed the scene and promptly fired at the second officer. In the blink of an eye, Manpo Station is said to have descended into carnage.
“In an instant, in the midst of fairly indiscriminate shooting, six persons were dead and frightened people were pushing each other to escape the area; as a result dozens of people were wounded,” according to the source.
The source added that, “Due to this incident, the train between Hyesan, Yangkang Province and Manpo, Jagang Province was stopped for a while.”
Since North Korea started treated the Army preferentially under the Military-first Policy, conflicts between the military and the People’s Security Agency (which includes the agents on the trains) are getting ever more violent.
