The Ministry of State Security (MSS) is once again pressuring illegal cellphone users in the China-North Korea border region to turn themselves in, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in Yanggang Province told Daily NK on Thursday that the Hyesan branch of the MSS has recently been conducting meetings regarding the issue at the neighborhood watch unit level. The meetings are disseminating orders for people to “turn themselves in if they have owned or ever used a Chinese cell phone.”
Security officials at the meetings claim that “the state has already pointed out the persistent issue of people secretly owning and using Chinese cell phones, but there are still human scum that use Chinese cell phones to communicate with the outside. They become blinded by the little bit of money the enemy tosses their way and do traitorous things like divulge information to the enemy. In doing so, they unwittingly set out on the road to betray our socialist motherland.
“Even so, if they return to the straight and narrow, confess their crimes, and turn themselves in to the relevant security official or institution, then [the government] will grant them amnesty regardless of the nature of their crimes. But, for those who do not comply and continue to use illegal cell phones, they will miss out on the chance to redeem themselves and will end up crying bloody tears of regret.”
The threats also included a warning that “if you are caught, not only will you suffer, but your family as well,” the source said.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea has shut its borders and conducted brutal, widespread campaigns to eliminate foreign cell phones as a channel for information to enter the closed-off country.
Yet people living in the China-North Korea border region continue to use foreign cell phones to communicate with the outside world, prompting the authorities to once again issue grave warnings.
However, people who attended the recent MSS meetings showed a cold response to what was said, according to Daily NK’s source.
“People say that if no one was using Chinese cell phones during the pandemic, then North Korea would be in even worse shape than it already is. People aren’t convinced by these constant calls to turn themselves in, and they’re critical of the government calling Chinese cell phone users traitors without putting out policies to alleviate people’s hardships.
“Until the government solves the food shortage, this carrot-and-stick cycle of pleading with and then threatening people won’t be effective. Until then, they can hold a hundred lectures and meetings about whatever they like and every time they will be met with criticism from the people.”
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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