Police officers in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, underwent about two weeks of bunker drills in preparation for war earlier this month, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province said Friday that the drills were held from June 4 to June 16.
The drills were aimed at ensuring police officers know how to keep local residents safe through various evacuation exercises, and evaluated whether the country’s emergency communication network is free of issues during wartime conditions.
“Inside the bunkers, the drills tested all operational command systems to protect people’s lives and property from impure defectors and dangerous elements who have committed murder and other crimes, and who may take advantage of the complicated wartime situation to stage violent demonstrations,” the source said.
The police officers received high praise for their performance during the drills. They quickly assembled, carrying backpacks filled with emergency supplies (about 20 items, including salt, matches, candles, food, dried wood, blankets, army rice cooker, and army shovel) that they always have at home.
However, some officers were reprimanded because their emergency supplies were in poor condition. The army rice cookers and shovels were often rusted and unusable, and many officers lacked rice powder in their 10-day rations (two kilograms) or notebooks and pens.
About six in 10 officers faced reprimands after inspections of their emergency supplies turned up problems.
“It’s been decades since the announcement of the four military guidelines: arm the entire population, fortify the entire country, train the entire army as a cadre force, and modernize the military,” the source said. “The government tells us to always be alert and ready for mobilization, but things are pretty lax.”
North Korea has long conducted bunker drills in preparation for war, focusing on the Ministry of State Security – the country’s counterintelligence agency – or the army. Given how rare such drills are for the Ministry of Social Security police, people are saying tensions “must be really bad,” according to the source.
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