North Korean authorities have declared a week of increased patrols in major military districts, including Pyongyang, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country. In addition, authorities have begun nationwide preparations to welcome Putin, issuing a series of military and administrative orders.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, several Daily NK sources in North Korea said Friday that North Korean authorities declared a week of special patrols in Pyongyang and the country’s border region starting at 7 PM on Thursday.
A source in the North Korean military said that “frontline corps stationed along the inter-Korean border have been ordered to raise their state of readiness.” He said they were also ordered to “report detected enemy provocations and wait for orders, rather than respond immediately.”
Border guards along North Korea’s northern border with China have reportedly increased their readiness by issuing three live rounds per man in each patrol shift.
North Korean authorities have also deployed forces around Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport, where Putin’s presidential plane is expected to arrive, and put them on 24-hour alert.
Highway from Sunan airport to Pyongyang blocked off
Authorities are also restricting access to the main roads leading from the airport to downtown Pyongyang.
According to the source in the military, the authorities have blocked the highway leading from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport to downtown Pyongyang and restricted normal vehicular traffic to the road in front of the Three Revolutions Exhibition in the Yonmot area of Pyongyang’s Sosong district, the gateway to downtown.
The authorities have also issued several administrative and legal orders in connection with Putin’s visit.
First, as of Thursday, North Korean authorities have banned provincial residents from entering Pyongyang. They also suspended the issuance of permit numbers needed to enter the city. This means that people cannot enter Pyongyang for personal business, although they can enter for approved official business.
The authorities have also ordered people’s committees throughout the country to step up surveillance to ensure that no outsiders are living in their districts. Neighborhood watch units have also been ordered to conduct regular inspections of housing facilities with police officers. They have been instructed to conduct surprise inspections to ensure that no outsiders have entered their neighborhoods without permission.
Markets to close in Pyongyang during Russian president’s visit
It appears that markets throughout Pyongyang will be closed during Putin’s visit. The commercial department of the Pyongyang People’s Committee said it would temporarily close the city’s markets as soon as the order is given. The authorities appear to be closing the markets to Pyongyang residents as part of efforts to welcome the Russian president.
Pyongyang’s police department has also gone on a 24-hour emergency alert, according to the sources. The alert has resulted in police arresting and detaining beggars and suspicious people found in front of train stations, markets, alleyways, and elsewhere.
It remains unclear where the police are detaining these individuals, but it appears that authorities have taken the measure to keep vagrants off the streets – and out of sight – of downtown Pyongyang during Putin’s visit.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
