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North Korea’s Watching You: From Defectors to Regular Folks, No One’s Safe

Daniel Kim Views  

North Korea\'s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on December 19, 2024, that residents from flood-affected North Pyongan Province met to adopt letters addressed to Kim Jong Un. / KCNA
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on December 19, 2024, that residents from flood-affected North Pyongan Province met to adopt letters addressed to Kim Jong Un. / KCNA

North Korean authorities have recently ramped up surveillance and control of residents, mainly focusing on those classified as high-risk individuals under the supervision of neighborhood watch groups (inminban). Reports on Wednesday indicate that surveillance has reached extreme levels, with those listed as high-risk facing relentless scrutiny in their daily lives.

Daily NK, a media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, cited a source in North Hamgyong Province, who requested anonymity for safety reasons. According to the source, “In Hoeryong City, surveillance on residents listed as high-risk individuals has intensified recently. Even if they have committed no specific wrongdoing, they cannot escape the surveillance network in their daily lives.”

High-risk individuals include families of defectors, users of Chinese cell phones, former prison camp detainees, past defectors, and individuals discharged early from military service due to incidents or accidents. The North Korean regime considers these groups potential threats to its system and imposes strict monitoring on them.

Authorities place those deemed likely to commit crimes on a “high-risk list,” assigning public security officers and informants to monitor their every move. Reports indicate that even when these individuals leave their homes, they are closely shadowed by these agents or informants.

The source explained, “A family of defectors living in the same neighborhood unit was tailed by a neighbor who serves as an informant for the security officers. Acting on orders from their assigned officer, this informant followed the family to document their movements.”

“The increased surveillance of residents is a direct result of orders from higher authorities. Security officers face severe reprimands from superiors if they fail to meet performance expectations, leading them to engage in excessive monitoring activities to avoid criticism.”

On December 28, 2024, a family of defectors in HoeryongCityy reportedly experienced constant surveillance from neighbors while traveling just 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) to visit relatives.

Another resident of Hoeryong, who has been arrested multiple times by the Ministry of State Security for using a Chinese cell phone, recounted, “On December 27, I left my house to call China but returned without doing so because I was being followed.”

Making phone calls requires traveling to areas with good signal reception, but frequent monitoring by public security officers and their informants has severely restricted such movements.

As authorities tighten surveillance, even ordinary residents are increasingly being accused of suspicious behavior and placed under scrutiny for minor or routine activities.

The source conveyed, “These days, not only those on the list of potential threats but also ordinary citizens cannot escape surveillance. People are increasingly reporting psychological distress due to the intensifying monitoring and control measures.”

North Korea\'s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on December 19, 2024, that residents from flood-affected North Pyongan Province met to adopt letters addressed to Kim Jong Un. / KCNA
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on December 19, 2024, that residents from flood-affected North Pyongan Province met to adopt letters addressed to Kim Jong Un. / KCNA
KCNA reported on December 18, 2024, that citizens across North Korea commemorated the 13th anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il on December 17. / KCNA
KCNA reported on December 18, 2024, that citizens across North Korea commemorated the 13th anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il on December 17. / KCNA
Daniel Kim
content@viewusglobal.com

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