National Security Agency (NSA) agents have seen their status and authority elevated by Kim Jong Eun, according to new information received by Daily NK, another apparent victory for the NSA in the battle for supremacy in the Kim Jong Eun era between North Korea’s security forces.
Speaking by phone with Daily NK on Saturday, a source from the North Korean capital Pyongyang revealed the news, saying, “On the 20th just gone, two orders came down in the name of the Supreme Commander, one on modern communications equipment for the NSA, and another one on raising the authority of NSA agents.”
The source went on to claim that a further recent decree called for consultation with China on a policy of allowing NSA agents in the border region cross-border freedom of movement to pursue defectors or the brokers that facilitate their escape.
The NSA is apparenlty overseeing surveillance actions at all levels of society. According to a Shinuiju source who also spoke with Daily NK in the past few days, “When the mourning events ended, the NSA was told on a number of occasions to write and submit reports on cadres.”
The key cause of the NSA’s ongoing elevation through the ranks of North Korea’s security services is that Kim Jong Eun was himself elevated within it, receiving so-called ‘succession training’ in 2009 while allegedly at its head. Thereafter, his first appointment after formalizing the succession in September, 2010 was a performance by an art troupe affiliated with the NSA. Current NSA head Woo Dong Cheuk is also one of his closest confidantes, according to reports.
Further, since Kim Jong Il passed away on December 17th, 2011, it has been the NSA which has been using that leverage to maneuver itself into pole position in the competion to show loyalty to the new leader, being both the first to call for portraits of Kim Jong Eun to be distributed and the creator of the slogan, ‘With Comrade Kim Jong Eun at its Head, Let’s Defend the Central Committee with Our Lives!’ As a result, it has earned the new leader’s trust.
None of which is good news for the people of the border region. One Yangkang Province source described the inevitable results of the rising prestige of the NSA this way, saying, “Visits to families by NSA agents have been more frequent of late and their investigations have been minutely carried out, so people are pretty uncomfortable,” going on, “For this and that reason, NSA agents are also investigating jangmadang traders’ food and by what route they got their goods, which is creating more discomfort.”
