[imText1]Yanji, China — A source in North Korea reported on the 17th that 10 suspects from the Seventh Bureau of the Defense Security Command in Chongjin, part of the intelligence service of the (North) Korean People’s Army, were under investigation for espionage.
The Defense Security Command of the KPA is an intelligence service tasked to monitor and control the political ideology of members of the People’s Army. The Seventh Bureau is in charge of operating foreign currency earning-businesses to fund the Command.
A source said, “An internal inspection team found a camcorder in the home of Han Chol Beom, the treasurer of the Seventh Bureau in Chongjin. The vice president of the Seventh Bureau, who had close relations with Mr. Han, was also implicated in this espionage case.”
He added, “Around 10 people connected to the vice president were reportedly caught for related reasons. However, Han Chol Beom supposedly declared that he received the camcorder from his friend in exchange for a loan.
In large cities in North Korea, digital camcorders are selling at jangmadang (markets). People who are in possession of a camcorder must report notify the People’s Safety Agency. Mr. Han failed to do so.
The friend who gave the camcorder to Han Chol Beom was also arrested, but was released after 2 weeks of interrogation by the National Security Agency.
The same source said, “It is not known whether the other suspects were formally charged with espionage or not.”
North Korean authorities consider cases in which people possess unauthorized camcorders, mini-lenses, or cameras as espionage with the intent to disseminate internal information to foreign countries. This is especially true in the border areas, where authorities are stepping up their efforts to control the use of camcorders as more and more internal information is making its way to the outside world.
