North Korean authorities have recently reactivated a “unified command” tasked with inspections and crackdowns regarding “non-socialist and anti-socialist behavior” along the country’s border with China.
The unified command was established following the passing of a law last year to eradicate “reactionary thought.”
A source in Yanggang Province told Daily NK on Wednesday that the “unified group” formed to control “non-socialist and anti-socialist behavior” restarted its activities from mid-June.
The group had previously been active in the border region from early January.
According to the source, reports from locals sparked the unified command’s renewed activities after a lull in its crackdowns and inspections.
That is to say, border residents barely making ends meet complained about illegal activity by neighbors living comparatively well, particularly the families of defectors and their associated “brokers.” This prompted the unified command to restart proactive efforts to reign in “non-socialist and anti-socialist behavior” in the area.
“Locals having a tough time in the coronavirus era reportedly complained that the unified group against non-socialist and anti-socialist behavior was desperately needed as they regarded how some other locals, including the families of escapees to South Korea [defectors] and brokers, were living stable lives by continuously receiving goods and money through China,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
North Korean authorities had been continuously monitoring non-socialist and anti-socialist behavior as well as ideological issues on the part of border residents. But after receiving the complaints, the state launched even stronger efforts to censor ideologically problematic behavior along the entire border, according to the source.
Based on the source’s account, the unified command currently operating in Yanggang Province regularly conducts visits to households to inspect televisions, radios, and phones in cooperation with the provincial branch of the Ministry of Social Security and provincial telecommunication officials. When they come across a “problem,” they hand the matter in its entirety to the provincial Ministry of Social Security’s investigation department.
“Local inminban [people’s units] have been told that people who remove the seals from their fixed-channel televisions or radios to watch or listen to broadcasts from South Korea or Yanbian will be caught in unannounced raids on their homes,” said the source. “Those caught will face the people’s stern judgement after being investigated and punished by the Ministry of Social Security, Ministry of State Security, or the prosecutor’s office – depending on the nature of the crime and regardless of their [societal] position.”
Moreover, people considered part of the society’s “special classes” will face ideological training if they are caught having engaged in “anti-socialist or non-socialist behavior,” or even “stern legal punishments without generous forgiveness” if they are re-offenders.
Additionally, the unified command has reportedly warned that ruling party, administrative, or legal officials and their families who view South Korean video material will be regarded as having “greatly broken the law.” The unified command further announced that it would “never” tolerate such behavior, which it intends to “nip in the bud.”
