The North Korean authorities have cautioned against thoughts of defection in a surprise lecture following recent leafleting activites by South Korean defector-led groups.
A North Hwanghae Province source reported to Daily NK today, “We were gathered together for an unexpected lecture where they explained the position of the authorities on the leaflets issue. The lecturer said that any person who dares to step out of our heaven on earth is a traitor.”
“The lecturer also declared that ‘Judging by the fact that the world media is now revealing the names and faces of defectors, it is clear that the South Chosun government is not protecting them anymore,” the source said, before adding, “he also said that ’the only thing coming to defectors is death, while we will live with nothing to envy under the protection of Marshal Kim Jong Eun and socialism.”
“Soldiers and students have been mobilized to collect the leaflets,” the source added, “while those citizens who find uncollected ones have been told to hand them in to the security forces and not to read them. They were also warned that if they keep the leaflets they will be punished.”
However, the source concluded, “Even though they ordered people not to look at them, anybody who can see is going to read them. All they have to do is say they didn’t, or just read them in secret then burn them or throw them away. People assume that the lecture was meant to discourage defection and incite anger.”
