Security guard nabbed for thieving rice and corn from farm in South Hwanghae Province
North Korean farmers harvesting rice. [Photo/NK Times]
A local worker has been arrested by police after a series of thefts from a farm in South Hwanghae Province.
The worker reportedly used his position as a security guard at the farm to steal a large amount of newly harvested rice and corn.
“The man whose name is Kim was arrested on October 30 by the local security department,” a source told NK Times on November 6.
The incident happened in Ganggyo village in Jaeryong County, the source said.
It comes amid continuing food shortages faced by ordinary North Koreans who are increasingly relying on produce stolen from farms. Ahead of this year’s harvest, the Ministry of Social Security dispatched local security units across the country in late September to prevent crops being stolen and illegally traded.
“Kim exploited his position as a security guard to steal a large quantity of grain,” the source said.
The arrest came after a series of instances of disappearing grain at the Ganggyo village farm since early October, he said. Farm authorities reported the incidents to the County Security Department, prompting a swift investigation.
Kim, who is in his 30s, was quickly identified as the prime suspect after it was reported that he frequently left his post during work hours and exhibited suspicious behavior, such as drinking alcohol and smoking expensive cigarettes.
Kim was monitored for two weeks and then caught by security officers on the night of October 30 transporting harvested rice stalks from the fields to his home.
Police found a stash of over 400 kilograms of rice and 600 kilograms of corn in his house.
“The Jaeryong County Security Department is currently conducting further investigations into the homes of Kim’s relatives and acquaintances to uncover the full extent of the crime,” the source said. “If others are found to have been involved, it will be difficult for them to avoid severe punishment.”
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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