North Korea has been deploying state security officials disguised as travelers with special personal visas or traders to China as an attempt to weed out brokers that aid defectors in escaping the country, a local source told the Daily NK.

"Movement from State Security Department [SSD] officials has been quite extraordinary,” a source based in North Hamgyung Province told the Daily NK on Monday. “Late last month, two officials from the Hoeryong SSD office were chosen to pose as travelers visiting relatives in China, and went to different regions such as Yanji, Helong, and Changbai,” she explained.

An official from the SSD spoke with our source, stating, “There haven’t been that many defectors these days, but there’s a reason why SSD officials have been sent to China despite that.” It is speculated that the covert operation comes with the goal of not only tracking down defectors hiding in China, but also the middlemen, known as “brokers,” who help the escapees get to South Korea for a hefty fee.

“The two who left from Hoeryong disguised as visitors have returned,” the source said. “But there remains the possibility that SSD officials dressed up as travelers or traders still are in China or there are plans to send more.”

Until now, North Korea has used central and provincial SSD officials impersonating travelers to infiltrate and arrest defectors, explaining why recently a greater number have been apprehended as they make their way from China to Southeast Asia; it is also why brokers for these defectors frequently alter their travel routes.

“Work on the borders is going to become even more difficult since they are monitoring not only just during the day but at night as well," brokers have been saying of the changes. “We now live in an era where SSD officials are masquerading as merchants, so you have to be careful of whom you meet when you get out to China."

Unable to discern individuals who may pose a threat, brokers warn, "You have to watch out for even those traveling on special personal visas or who are staying in the country on an expired visa."

Facing an endless number of defectors despite beefed up surveillance on the borders, North Korea has recently been inspecting family members of escapees, according to the source, who speculated crackdowns on defectors and phone calls with people outside of the country will continue to get stricter. Smugglers were also recently targeted as part of the state's attempts to access information on defectors in the South.