A North Korean young man performing his military service in the riot police was beaten unconscious by a group of his superiors, prompting an investigation by the Ministry of Social Security into corruption and bribe-giving within the force.
A source in South Hwanghae province told Daily NK recently that an enlisted man in the riot police in Haeju identified here as Kim was beaten unconscious by four superior officers and then taken to the hospital in mid-October.
Kim was beaten for not completing “assignments” given by his superiors.
“Kim’s superiors gave him leave to collect fuel and other materials from private homes in the area, explaining that the riot police as a whole would be dressed down if they failed to hand over cash or supplies to the higher-ups. But Kim returned to his unit empty-handed, leading to the group beating,” the source said.
‘Assignments are scarier than firearms’
In North Korea, units in the police and military are expected to source their own food and operating costs. As a result, the rank and file are regularly given “assignments” to procure cash and other supplies.
When soldiers and rookie cops return without completing their assignments, they are often subjected to verbal or even physical abuse from their superiors. As a result, soldiers often go around local homes begging for food or money. When conditions are tight, they resort to breaking into locals’ homes to steal their food and money.
Those from better-off families can ask their parents for help with completing their assignments.
But Kim was in no position to get help from his parents and failed in his efforts to solicit supplies from the locals, resulting in the brutal beatdown.
Other policemen who witnessed the beating reportedly said that “assignments are scarier than firearms.”
After the beating, Kim filed a complaint against the perpetrators, but his complaint was not taken seriously. As a result, the entire riot police unit reportedly became the subject of a probe by the Ministry of Social Security.
“Given the regime’s emphasis on ‘reestablishing the revolutionary ethos’ before the Ninth Party Congress, the Ministry of Social Security is taking note of the growing issue of assaults, corruption and bribe-giving. Ministry officials regard this as being not merely an incident of violence, but as an example of the corruption and bribe-giving that is rampant within the force,” the source said.
“As policemen and soldiers are given more assignments designed to facilitate bribes, they have little choice but to prowl around neighborhoods to beg or steal. To restore discipline, the government’s first order of business should be addressing the deep-rooted practice of bribe-oriented assignments in the police and military,” the source said.
