North Korea’s Ministry of State Security concealed and internally handled secret information leaks from its central units, sparking controversy when uncovered by a surprise inspection from the Central Committee’s Organization and Guidance Department.
A source told Daily NK on Oct. 18 that the five-day inspection from Oct. 8 revealed the agency had not directly reported to the party about secret leaks detected in its radio supervision and communications departments from early September to early October, instead resolving them internally.
The inspection was prompted by the agency’s quarterly reports this year only addressing minor issues in local security organs while omitting major incidents in central departments.
The source said the Organization and Guidance Department views the agency’s quiet handling of about 30 secret leak incidents as a sign that such crimes have become chronic and that internal issues are being approached passively.
Specifically, the source said, “The radio detection department was caught illegally copying and leaking communication code books and confidential documents. In the communications department, some officials were caught deleting personal case records or leaking secrets like password changes for financial gain.”
The most significant issue raised in the inspection was the agency’s approach of handling these incidents internally without reporting them. The party department urged the agency’s leadership to change their perspective on this matter.
The source added that despite these lapses, responsible officials were spared severe consequences because they transparently disclosed all requested materials when the inspection began.
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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