A Chinese remittance broker in North Hamgyong province has been arrested by state security agents on charges of espionage, in what some say is a calculated move to prevent Chinese residents from spreading information to the outside world.
According to a source in North Hamgyong province, provincial state security agents raided the home of a Chinese national* in his early 40s around 11 p.m. on Sept. 24. The man, whose father lives in China, had worked for about a decade as a remittance broker – receiving money from North Korean defectors in South Korea through his father and delivering it to their families in North Korea.
The broker came under state security scrutiny after he transferred a large sum of money to an employee of the Hambuk Shipbuilding Yard in mid-September. The facility, located in Chongjin’s Sunam district, is one of North Korea’s main shipbuilding centers and produces submarines.
State security officials accused the Chinese broker of selling classified submarine technology information to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, allegedly obtained from the shipyard worker. However, the source noted that investigators have found no evidence of how the information was allegedly gathered or transmitted.
Local residents familiar with the case are skeptical of the allegations. “The man was an ordinary worker, not even a technician. How much could he know about technical matters? All the Chinese man did was transfer money to a defector’s relative, and now he’s been arrested on trumped-up charges just because that relative happens to work at a shipyard,” the source said.
Many North Koreans see the arrest as part of a broader crackdown on Chinese residents who facilitate the flow of money, goods and information from outside the country. Recently, authorities have stepped up surveillance of Chinese residents in an effort to stem the flow of foreign information.
“This arrest of a Chinese remittance broker on baseless espionage charges appears to be aimed at keeping information from China out of North Korea. It must be an attempt to block the information that the Chinese are bringing in along with money and items,” the source explained.
The Chinese broker remains in custody at the provincial state security bureau for questioning. “No matter how many bribes you pay, it’s not easy to be completely cleared of espionage charges. Some even say the man could end up in a political prison camp,” the source added.
*Editor’s Note: The man is a hwagyo, or ethnic Chinese resident of North Korea. Hwagyo maintain Chinese citizenship while residing permanently in North Korea, forming a distinct cultural and economic bridge between the two countries. This community has historically played an important role in trade and business networks, particularly as merchants and intermediaries.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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