North Korean authorities are investigating complaints made about the head of a North Hamgyong Province prison camp who was allegedly involved in a range of improper behavior, Daily NK has learned.
According to a Daily NK source in in the province on Wednesday, the head of the prison camp, which is operated under the auspices of the Ministry of State Security, was accused of using his position to “behave as he liked” inside the camp.
After a security official under the camp director’s command filed a complaint against him, the provincial branch of the Ministry of State Security began to investigate him.
The ministry began treating him like a criminal when his outrageous behavior came to light during the interrogation. Ministry investigators even carried out a search of his home.
Investigators revealed that the camp director called female prisoners into private meetings under the guise of “questioning them,” during which time he committed acts of sexual assault.
In fact, the man has been accused of commiting 20 separate cases of sexual assault so far.
He is also accused of “violent, indecent behavior” during a New Year’s party he organized for his subordinates in early January, where he reportedly embraced the wives of his subordinates in an aggressive manner.
Moreover, the man pilfered grain meant for the prisoners and even took bribes from staff to cover up for their workplace absences.
The source said the camp director faces severe punishment as he engaged in other forms of corruption as well. These alleged acts include taking large sums of money from prisoners and their families to treat those accused of serious crimes as petty offenders or to release them.
The source said the provincial branch of the Ministry of State Security is talking to the rape victims and other witnesses about his wayward behavior “to get a detailed understanding of what he did and to decide on an appropriate punishment.”
People in North Hamgyong Province have grown increasingly angry following the revelations of the crimes committed by the camp director.
In fact, some local people are slamming security agents as a whole, saying that “they are all the same.”
“As a result of this incident, all cadres and security agents at prison camps in North Hamgyong Province are being interrogated,” said the source.
“The head of the camp is still undergoing questioning, but people think he’ll definitely be relieved or sacked, and he and his family could also be exiled [to a rural area],” he added.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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