Daily NK has obtained documentation revealing that the North Korean authorities are using the tale of a man being killed trying to defect in official materials for civilian lectures.
“Some time ago, a group of traitors who had planned to cross the Tumen River and betray the socialist fatherland were caught by the sharp eyes of a border guard unit and apprehended,” the materials, obtained by Daily NK on the 8th, assert. “They were fooled into attempting defection by their son, who had already betrayed the fatherland and become an informant for the South Chosun puppets. But our soldiers would not be swayed by any of their honeyed words, and punished the man there and then before arresting the rest on the spot.”
The document, entitled, ‘Strengthen the Border Zone and Raise Consciousness Levels to Enhance the Dignity of Our Socialism’, was published by Chosun Workers’ Party Publishing House in January, and used in materials for civilian lectures at the end of the month.
The word “punish” used in it carries a very strong implication, and while it is not explicit, the wording would seem to imply that the individual was probably summarily executed. This is plausible, and if true would accurately reflect orders reportedly issued to Border Guard units to “shoot those for whom apprehension is difficult.” Confirmation of such events is very rare, much less in official Party documents.
As is consistently the case in North Korea at the current time, the policy prescriptions in the materials are firmly rooted in the supposed “last instructions” of Kim Jong Il, with the document commenting, “The thorough sealing of the border is one of the responsible and important tasks in the realization of the General’s last instructions.”
“Now, the enemies’ secret espionage activities and psychological plots are being viciously implemented through the border area, to undermine the revolution being led by great leader comrade Kim Jong Eun and bring about the collapse of our socialist fatherland,” it warns.
“The high political consciousness of the border people is not an operational issue; it is the weightiest and most honorable task in protecting our socialism and defending the heads of the revolution with our very lives from their foul schemes,” it concludes.
“Taking ownership of the task of thoroughly sealing the border is the way to swiftly realize the policy of the respected Supreme Commander,” it adds, before closing by decreeing the following: ▲ the immediate transmission of Party orders; ▲ the reorganization of systems for surveillance and reporting of anti-state activities; and ▲ the surveillance of families of defectors and those linked with such families.
