Ministry of State Security branches in regions along the border with China have recently been making use of the family members of defectors to identify and catch remittance brokers, a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
On Aug. 6, for example, Hoeryong security agents arrested a remittance broker as he was delivering money to the family of a defector. The broker met with misfortune when he visited the home of the defector’s family, unaware that it was a trap set by the Ministry of State Security.
“Prior to this, the Ministry of State Security visited family members of the defector and threatened them into getting money out of the defector by lying about somebody needing money for an operation,” the source said. “A remittance broker went to the home of the family to deliver the cash and security agents arrested him on the spot.”
The security agents confiscated the RMB 10,000 (USD 1,390) from the man, along with two foreign-made mobile phones he used to confirm remittances. The remittance broker was taken to a local branch of the Ministry of State Security, where he is currently detained.
In recent months, North Korea has been carrying out intensive crackdowns foreign mobile phone users as part of efforts to control the flow of information entering and leaving the country. Despite the crackdowns, people continue to use mobile phones on the sly. As a result, the authorities are now working hard to nab users of foreign-made mobile phones by using the family members of defectors, the source said.
“Because so many people were caught during the COVID-19 lockdown, the remaining mobile phone users are using their devices in very clandestine ways. Faced with difficulties catching Chinese mobile phone users, local branches of the Ministry of State Security are using the family members of defectors to lure remittance brokers into receiving money, with agents busting the brokers when they deliver the cash.”
From the Ministry of State Security’s perspective, they are killing two birds with one stone — not only do they nab people using foreign mobile phones, but they also get to keep the cash sent by the defectors, the source claimed.
In fact, as rumors spread that the state security agency is arresting remittance brokers using the family members of defectors, some people have even complained that “security agents are engaged in a sophisticated money-making operation, using crackdowns as an excuse.”
“Even a few days ago, an individual sent by a remittance broker who was delivering money sent from South Korea was arrested by security agents,” the source said. “Remittance brokers are now avoiding contact with people they don’t know, which will make it grow harder for the family members of defectors to receive money.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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