North Korea’s National Security Agency (NSA) has launched a hunt for the individual or organization responsible for scattering 5,000 won bills scrawled with words criticizing the Kim Jong Il regime in Chongjin, North Hamkyung Province.
A source reported on Thursday that around the Kim Il Sung statue in Pohang and parts of Shinan district in the city, large numbers of 5,000 won bills inscribed with criticisms of the regime were scattered on the 26th of June. Chongjin NSA is conducting an investigation.
The new 5,000 won bill, which was issued on November 30 last year, features Kim Il Sung’s portrait. On the reverse side of the bills distributed in Chongjin were the criticisms and the words, “Defection National Salvation Action Group.”
Following the find, regulations governing movement around the Kim Il Sung statue where the bills were found were rigorously enforced, and leaving Chongjin became harder.
The source said, “Many people think that they were not spread by balloon from outside, but by North Koreans; they may have written them by themselves in North Korea with the support of defectors in South Korea.”
He went on, “The NSA did not want to spread the news, so it controlled people to limit rumors; nevertheless, the story has been spreading among Chongjin citizens.”
Given the fact that the bills were scattered around the Kim Il Sung statue, and that Chongjin is far from the border, Chongjin NSA presumes that this was the act of a domestic anti-regime organization. However, since the name of the organization written on the bill, “Defection National Salvation Action Group,” is not a common expression for North Koreans, the NSA is reportedly investigating any link to foreign organizations.
