North Korea has begun summoning corrupt state security agents deployed to Russia in what appears to be an anti-corruption effort, but there are concerns the government will shield the agents from serious punishment.
After recalling agents to Pyongyang, the Ministry of State Security issued a directive threatening severe consequences, yet corrupt officials typically escape punishment — a contradiction that even North Koreans criticize.
According to a Daily NK source in North Korea recently, rumors are circulating within the Ministry of State Security about Han Kwang Jin and Song Myong Nam, two recently recalled agents. Details about their backgrounds and deployment locations have spread widely.
Ministry officials received dozens to hundreds of complaints against the pair, accusing them of extorting money from North Korean workers and misusing foreign currency over extended periods. Some ministry officials say the agents engaged in various corrupt practices during their nearly decade-long overseas postings, where surveillance is less stringent.
However, the ministry likely won’t severely punish the two agents. They come from state security elite families with three generations of service, and their close relatives hold key positions in the Central Committee, Supreme Guard Command and State Affairs Commission.
Given their connections, they might face at most a year of forced labor, though even this seems unlikely. After going through an initial investigation, they’ll probably be released without serving any sentence.
In contrast, the ministry issued a stern warning to overseas agents in early April, immediately after recalling the pair. The order called for “rectifying work attitudes and thoroughly eradicating anti-party and anti-revolutionary factors.” The ministry quoted Kim Jong Un, who called agents’ misuse of position for personal gain “the most pernicious corruption.”
This directive appears influenced by Kim’s criticism of officials in Onchon and Usi counties for drunken parties and property violations during a Central Committee meeting in late January, when he demanded strict punishment.
The ministry’s order included directives to control foreign currency use, manage workers’ money, increase surveillance of managers and officials, and overhaul the foreign currency quota system — essentially declaring intent to eliminate corruption among overseas agents.
However, with Han and Song’s serious corruption cases likely ending in organized cover-ups rather than punishment, North Korean officials doubt the order’s effectiveness.
The case of Choi Sung Chul, another state security agent recalled after North Korean workers in Russia exposed his corruption, has followed a similar pattern.
“The ministry talks about a ‘strong response,’ but continues to show a duplicitous attitude by granting immunity to key regime figures,” the source said. “While this might contribute to short-term stability, it will likely provoke long-term discontent among officials and overseas workers, weakening trust within the regime.”
