Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers
Law enforcement at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party parade (Still: KCTV)
The Ministry of Social Security, the main law enforcement agency, has instructed units in the northern provinces to strengthen the already intense blockade along the border with China in a bid to prevent any citizens from leaving the country illegally, a crime that is considered treasonous.
The directive was reportedly issued in the wake of the 9th Party Congress at the end of February.
“After the 9th Party Congress, the MSS ordered border security departments to further tighten controls,” a source in North Hamgyong Province, who insisted on anonymity, confirmed on April 6. “In particular, the directive strongly emphasized that there must be no ‘breaches’ in blockade operations.”
“The order repeatedly stressed the responsibility and role of the security departments in ensuring that no gaps appear in the border. It seems intended to maintain the controls introduced during the COVID-19 crisis,” he said.
In line with this, the Hoeryong City Security Department is sending security officers to blockade zones to inspect the installation of barriers and check the work of Red Guard civil defense personnel. The security officers themselves are reportedly conducting round-the-clock surveillance in three shifts.
“Breaches do not simply mean physical holes, but refer to loopholes or weaknesses in the overall system of border control, surveillance, and blockade,” he said. “This directive aims to reinforce the vigilance of border guards and tighten monitoring of areas that could be exploited for smuggling or illegal crossings.”
North Korea’s move appears to stem from concerns that lax vigilance among frontline guards could undermine the entire border. It is interpreted as an effort to preemptively suppress defections and resumption of smuggling at a time when reopening the border is under discussion.
“This move underscores the idea that manning the border is not simply a matter of guard duty but is akin to a national-level control mission,” he said. “The MSS seems to be pressuring border security departments to maintain a heightened state of alert down to the lowest units.”
“By re-emphasizing the blockade policy after the Party Congress, the authorities clearly intend to strongly suppress informal distribution networks and resident defections in border regions. This will likely have significant impacts on the movement and livelihoods of residents along the frontier,” he said.
Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting.
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