North Korea has declared a nationwide special security alert ahead of Kim Jong Un’s visit to China.
According to multiple Daily NK sources inside North Korea on Sept. 1, North Korean authorities declared a special security period nationwide from 8 p.m. on Aug. 30 until midnight on Sept. 11. During this period, travel to other regions and business trips are restricted without state approval, and the issuance of travel permits or approval numbers (permits for entering Pyongyang and state secret facilities) is prohibited.
With observations suggesting that Kim will likely travel by train rather than aircraft, the Cabinet’s Ministry of Railways, State Security Department, and Ministry of Social Security conducted joint on-site inspections of railways, bridges, train stations, and surrounding areas nationwide from Aug. 28-30, just before the special security alert was declared, and began resetting security perimeters.
In North Pyongan province’s Sinuiju area specifically, access restrictions have been significantly tightened around train stations including Seokha Station, South Sinuiju Station, and Sinuiju Youth Station, as well as around the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge (Yalu River Bridge) leading to Dandong in China’s Liaoning province. The Yalu River border area has been designated as a shoot-on-sight zone starting from midnight on Aug. 31.
A source in North Pyongan province said, “They unified entry and exit routes at railway stations, conducted inspections for dangerous items and security camera operations at platforms and waiting rooms, and expanded no-parking zones around railway stations and bridges. Security around railways and bridges has been strengthened with the declaration of the special security alert for Kim’s overseas activities.”
Additionally, freight truck entry into Sinuiju city is currently restricted, which is expected to disrupt commercial and trade activities for organizations and individuals for some time.
Enhanced surveillance and movement restrictions
Security agencies have also intensified crackdowns on illegal mobile phone use using signal-blocking equipment, apparently intended to prevent internal North Korean situations and confidential matters related to Kim Jong Un’s personal security from being leaked to the outside through those using Chinese mobile phones.
Furthermore, Sinuiju residents are prohibited from nighttime movement, entertaining guests, holding gatherings, and drinking parties. Meanwhile, orders have been issued to various units for beautification work including maintenance of areas around railways and roads, and slogans and propaganda materials.
These current developments in Sinuiju are interpreted as supporting the possibility of Kim Jong Un’s train travel.
A heightened security atmosphere is also being detected in Dandong, China, which faces Sinuiju. According to a Chinese source on North Korea, merchants who had been doing business around the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge all withdrew on Aug. 30, and barriers were installed along the Yalu River on the morning of Sept. 1. With these barriers in place, it has become difficult to observe the appearance of Sinuiju across the Yalu River or vehicles and trains traveling between North Korea and China.
The source said, “These barriers have signs reading ‘Construction site – entry prohibited,’ but they weren’t installed the previous evening (Aug. 31), so it appears no actual construction is taking place. There are also signs that barriers will soon be installed around Dandong Station.”
Meanwhile, the source reported that large numbers of public security personnel have been deployed throughout Dandong, and plainclothes security personnel are also patrolling the streets.
North Korea previously announced Kim Jong Un’s China visit plans through the Rodong Sinmun newspaper – an unusual move. A Pyongyang source said this was “to demonstrate that regime stability is completely guaranteed,” but added that “since it was published in the newspaper, the party’s policy is that security and protection work should be carried out as quietly as possible.”
