<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Three families attempted to escape North Korea from Hoeryong
\nin North Hamgyong Province shortly after the 7th Party Congress earlier this
\nmonth, but were captured and forcibly repatriated by North Korean security
\nagents dispatched to China. Following the incident, border control in the area
\nhas been tightened further still, causing greater difficulties in daily life
\nfor residents, Daily NK has learned.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight after the Party Congress, three families (of around
\n15 people) living in Hoeryong tried to escape as a group,\u201d a source close to
\nNorth Korean affairs in China reported on Monday. \u201cBut apprehension teams from
\nstate security agents were immediately dispatched to China, and they were
\ncaught and brought back,\u201d the source explained. <\/p>\n
Additional sources in China close to the issue corroborated this news.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese days, apprehension teams are sent out immediately
\nwhen someone defects, as was the case here,\u201d said the source. \u201cAgents have also
\nbeen apprehending the brokers who aid these defections, and so escaping to
\nChina has become very challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n
State authorities stepped up border security from the 2nd to
\nthe 10th this month, designating it as a \u2018special patrol week\u2019 to ensure that
\nno incidents arose during the time of the Party Congress. According to the
\nsource, agents used vehicles mounted with wiretapping devices to listen in on
\ninternational phone calls and detect potential escape attempts.<\/p>\n
Because the escape took place despite these strict controls,
\nthe authorities were thrown into chaos. A different source in China with good
\nknowledge of North Korean affairs told Daily NK that unlike in the past, when
\nagents would conduct investigations quietly, these days they openly go around
\nquestioning residents to learn more about the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the previous incident with the restaurant workers
\nbecame public, the regime has become even more sensitive to defections,\u201d the
\nsource said. \u201c(The families) were probably hoping there would be a better
\nchance to defect during the Party Congress, but it\u2019s too bad that they weren\u2019t
\nable to escape the dragnet,\u201d she lamented.<\/p>\n
Had it been one or two people, the failed attempt may have
\nled to a few months in a labor camp, but with it being a mass
\nescape by whole families, the source stated that being sent to a political prison camp
\n\u201cis likely inevitable.\u201d Adding to this, the fact that they tried to defect
\nduring the Party Congress, coupled with the worsening atmosphere arising from
\nthe recent escapes of restaurant workers from China may lead to even harsher
\nmeasures, the source speculated, expressing concern.<\/p>\n
Having dealt with yet another mass defection case, state
\nauthorities have stepped up surveillance on residents. Efforts have been
\nfocused on mobile phone communication with those outside of the country to seal
\noff any information flowing across the border.<\/p>\n
\u201cResidents say they can feel agents breathing down their
\nnecks even when they\u2019re out at the riverside (near the border) doing their
\nlaundry,\u201d the source said, adding that this has encouraged many to stay indoors
\nunless they need to go to the market or must leave the house for an important
\nreason.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wiretapping unit within the State Security Department
\nhas improved its mobile phone surveillance methods, so they can now send out
\nagents immediately to specific locations if they detect someone talking to
\npeople outside of the country,\u201d the source said. Meanwhile, security agents
\nhave been ramping up their threats, saying punishments will be heavier and the
\nconsequences will be particularly grave if people are caught talking with
\n\u201cSouth Korean puppets.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Three families attempted to escape North Korea from Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province shortly after the 7th Party Congress earlier this month, but were captured and forcibly repatriated by North Korean security agents dispatched to China. Following the incident, border control in the area has been tightened further still, causing greater difficulties in daily life […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":32715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"\n