An agent affiliated with the Ministry of State Security (MSS) in North Hamgyong Province has been demoted from a second lieutenant to a private after being found guilty of torturing an illegal border crosser. The North Korean authorities rarely punish officers responsible for human rights abuses and this recent incident suggests there may be changes in how such cases are dealt with in future.
On November 9, a Daily NK source in Ryanggang Province relayed details of the incident. A woman in her 40s with the family name “Son” from Hyesan in Ryanggang Province had been living in China for 10 years before being arrested on November 1. She was repatriated to North Korea and detained at the MSS office in Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province.
On November 3, the officer on duty at the detention center, 2nd Lieutenant Kim (in his late 20s), began to mete out punishment to Son for having “betrayed the motherland.” She was forced to clean the detention center’s halls on her hands and knees and in the clothes she was wearing. The MSS agent purportedly set about making her feel like “nothing more than an insect,” according to the source.
Son allegedly told the officer that she felt she was going to die, and begged him to stop. Claiming she was resisting his authority, the source reported that Kim proceeded to kick her with his shoes and beat her with his club for approximately 30 minutes. Son then fell unconscious.
“Kim’s replacement found Son still lying on the ground unconscious several hours later and reported the incident to his superiors. She was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery due to excessive blood loss from her abdomen and uterus,” she said.
She added that the Onsong County MSS office held a hearing the day after the incident occurred where it was determined that Kim would be demoted to the rank of private and reassigned to a border guard post.
“Upon hearing about the outcome, MSS agents, Son’s family members and others feel that times have changed. Previously, the authorities didn’t place any importance on the rights of those charged with crimes,” said a separate source in Ryanggang Province.
“They have expressed their surprise at a decision that contrasts with past decisions, where the authorities viewed illegal border crossers as traitors.”
The source suggested that the MSS’s decision was influenced by Kim Jong Un’s order for government authorities to “cease human rights abuses.”
“There are still orders coming down [from the central government] regarding the need to get rid of human rights abuses like beatings and torture,” an additional source in North Hamgyong Province reported.
“That kind of atmosphere likely made it difficult for the MSS office to avoid taking action against the perpetrator.”
Thus, the authorities appear to have acted strongly against the MSS officer because they were worried they may get in trouble for what happened.
However, there is no guarantee that such strong action will be taken by the authorities towards perpetrators of human rights abuse in the future. Heavy-handed monitoring, coercion, and fear, after all, have been the primary tools of the regime in maintaining its vice-like grip on power.
Some observers note that Kim Jong Un’s order to cease human rights abuses is part of ongoing efforts to improve his image as a leader and an attempt to ensure he isn’t held responsible for abuses. In other words, Kim may be aiming to portray himself as a leader who cares about human rights while also creating evidence that can be used to counter criticism from the international community on North Korea’s extensive and ongoing human rights violations.
