The Second Corps of the Korean People’s Army recently issued an urgent order to crackdown on theft and fraud committed by soldiers against ordinary people, Daily NK has learned. The unit, which is based in North Hwanghae Province, is responsible for guarding the western section of the front line with South Korea.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a source in the province told Daily NK on Nov. 2 that the military unit’s headquarters, which are located in Pyongsan County, issued the urgent order amid growing public discontent following a rise in home break-ins and fraud committed by soldiers. Public discontent over the soldiers’ behavior has become so bad that even city and county party committees have complained to the unit’s headquarters.
The misbehavior displayed by the unit’s soldiers has been wide ranging. Soldiers stole harvested crops from farms during the fall harvesting season, broke into homes to steal food or furniture, took goods from markets, or refused to pay back market sellers when buying items on credit or borrowing money.
“Soldiers are constantly stealing or defrauding people to obtain the food or money they need to live,” the source said. “People criticize the troops for being more of an ‘invincible army of thieves’ than an ‘invincible and powerful army.'”
The source told Daily NK that soldiers tend to steal more during the autumn but that this year the frequency of bad behavior has been especially severe.
The soldiers’ bad behavior has also included forming sexual relationships with women who live near their bases before defrauding them or engaging in behavior that goes against society’s norms. These actions have led to intensifying discontent toward the military on the part of people living near bases.
The overall increase in bad behavior and complaints ultimately led the Second Corps’ headquarters to issue an order to re-establish military discipline and restore the unit’s damaged relationship with the civilian population.
Security bureau launches crackdown on soldiers committing scams or thievery
As part of the order’s instructions, the unit’s security bureau instructed small teams of military police and security personnel to “arrest soldiers who leave their bases in civilian clothing and commit criminal or undesirable acts as they wander downtown or residential areas.”
More specifically, the order told security personnel to “find and crack down on soldiers scamming market sellers or local people out of money or items bought on credit, stealing farm crops or selling military supplies, as well as soldiers who — before they are discharged — form sexual relationships with nearby civilian women and leak military secrets to them or violate other military regulations.”
The security bureau also ordered that soldiers’ leave and travel papers be checked more thoroughly to ensure they are authentic, including whether they have been signed and stamped by their unit commanders.
“Soldiers who are arrested for damaging relations with the civilian population or causing incidents will be sternly punished in accordance with the order handed down by the Second Corps headquarters,” the source said. “Off-base passes and leaves will likely be restricted for a while due to the order, too.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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