North Korea’s Ministry of State Security ordered its branches in North Pyongan province and other China-North Korea border areas to conduct thorough investigations of officials at workplaces that conduct business with China.
A source in North Pyongan province told Daily NK recently that the order “was delivered digitally and was entitled ‘Special Investigation Plan.’”
North Korea’s latest action stems from an Oct. 14 security meeting chaired by Kim Jong Un. During this meeting, defense and security officials discussed alleged South Korean drone activity over Pyongyang. The move also reflects growing concerns that unofficial communications between North Korean officials—especially those involved in trade—and their Chinese contacts could pose significant risks to national security.
According to the source, North Korean authorities issued two orders regarding information security: an Oct. 15 directive restricting information leaks along the Chinese border, followed by an Oct. 25 order specifically targeting cadre-level officials who inadvertently disclose sensitive information. The rapid succession of these orders, just ten days apart, underscores the regime’s serious concerns about information security and appears designed to put officials on heightened alert.
Per the order, the North Pyongan branch of the Ministry of State Security has ordered lower branches to carry out investigations of officials at workplaces who engage in frequent communications and contacts with China. They are to determine how frequently the officials contact the Chinese per week and what they discuss, and to craft additional investigations and crackdowns based on the information.
“The provincial headquarters order its branches to file detailed special investigation reports every week and arrest officials immediately if they detect something even slightly fishy, making officials aware that they’ll face time in a reeducation camp,” the source explained.
The surveillance has created widespread tension. A Sinuiju trade official described feeling constantly monitored, with authorities alternating between threats of reeducation camps and attempts to downplay these warnings amid political tensions.
Meanwhile, a Ministry of State Security official in North Pyongan province acknowledged public discontent with the restrictions, noting growing mistrust between surveillance personnel and those under observation.
Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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