North Korea is conducting inspections of border security facilities along its border with China, leading to frequent instances of border guard officers bribing inspection team members.
On Monday, a source in North Hamgyong Province informed Daily NK that the “Ministry of State Security has been inspecting the installation of barbed wire fences and management of concealed guard posts in border areas from late April to late July. Bribery attempts to avoid inspection failures are occurring in various locations.”
The inspection aims to verify the implementation of an order to complete border fence installation by the end of 2023. This initiative began in 2020 when North Korea closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and started installing barbed wire fences.
However, the source reported that proper fence installation was hindered by material shortages. Despite occasional collection of rebar, scrap metal, and wooden poles from nearby neighborhoods, the supply remained insufficient.
In the border areas of Onsong and Musan counties, the installed fences are approximately two meters high with 50 centimeter spacing between wires. These fences are so poorly constructed that a person could easily slip through by lifting the wires with a stick.
Fearing repercussions, border guard officers are attempting to curry favor with the inspection team members through bribery. The source told Daily NK that “guard officers are using various bribes, hoping to avoid detection during this inspection. Bribe amounts vary based on fence conditions, ranging from RMB 100 to 1,000 [USD 13 – 137] per team member.”
The source added that these bribe expenses will likely be passed down to individual platoons as “inspection wrap-up activity” costs, leading platoon leaders to further burden their soldiers financially.
Previous inspections revealed additional issues, including malfunctioning electric fences and poorly managed guard posts. In the Musan border area, attempts to demonstrate the electric fence’s functionality failed due to faulty power supplies. These issues were largely resolved through bribes, according to the source.
Meanwhile, there has been in decrease in defection attempts. The source explained that “people are terrified because anyone caught crossing or even approaching the fence is immediately shot at.”
This aligns with an August 2020 proclamation from North Korea’s national police agency, the Ministry of Social Security, which established a one to two kilometer buffer zone from the border, authorizing the firing on any personnel or animals entering the zone. Based on the source’s account, this measure appears to remain in effect.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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