A new crackdown against so-called “anti-socialist elements” has reportedly been launched along the border region on the orders of Kim Jong Eun.
A Daily NK source from North Hamkyung Province reported today, “Anti-socialist inspection units have been organized on the orders of Kim Jong Eun, so regulations in the border region have been reinforced. A command demanding that anti-socialist elements be completely eliminated at the border was handed down.”
According to the source, the anti-socialist inspection units were launched after instructions were handed down to the Ministry of Administration by Kim Jong Eun on December 7th, 2010.
The units are officially led by the Director of the Ministry of Administration of the Party (currently Jang Sung Taek) and consist of officials from Defense Security Command, the National Security Agency, People’s Safety Ministry, Central Prosecutors’ Office and Central Court.
Normally, such units have to report problems to provincial security forces, the NSA or PSM, but this time they are able to hand down judgments independently.
The source said, “The inspection units have been dispatched to border regions in North Hamkyung Province; Musan, Hoiryeong, Onsung, Saebyeol, Eundeok and Rasun, to carry out crackdowns in cooperation with provincial organs including provincial committees of the Party, administrative departments and judicial organs.”
The targets are the smuggling of drugs and counterfeiting, illegally crossing the river into China, illegal mobile phone usage and contact with foreigners. It will continue until April 10.
Since it is a direct order from Kim Jong Eun, punishments are harsh; execution in the most serious cases, even if the crime itself is one of drug smuggling or defection.
The source said, “In Musan, six have been arrested on suspicion of attempting to defect and two for drug smuggling,” and went on, “Unlike previous treatment, there are now two kinds: execution and political prison camp.”
“Getting released through bribery used to be common, but that is unimaginable now,” the source continued.
A different source from Hoiryeong also confirmed the story today, explaining, “Two were arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling on the 2nd, one was sentenced to be killed and the other was sentenced to imprisonment.
One was apparently trying to smuggle 200g of methamphetamines and was arrested in the act, so was sentenced to the No. 15 Camp in Yoduk, North Hamkyung Province. The other, who had tried to carry 2.45kg of drugs from Pyongsung to Hamheung, was sentenced to death.
