The Korea Herald/Asia 好色先生TV Network
North Korea has allegedly recently tightened controls on elites stationed abroad to stop them from defecting, South Korean intelligence authorities found.
According to a National Intelligence Service document obtained by the National Assembly, North Korea is keeping even closer track of its officials working at diplomatic and other offices overseas.
Wary that they may take advantage of loosened border controls post-COVID, North Korea has 鈥渟caled up surveillance鈥� on overseas officials, the document said, by implementing a 鈥渕ultilevel鈥� monitoring system that includes a ban on solo travels and tracking on their cellphones.
In China and Russia in particular, North Korea is working closely with authorities there to identify and track down defectors.
In addition to the beefed up surveillance and crackdown, North Korea is allegedly expanding its brainwashing program known as 鈥渋deological training鈥� aimed at fostering hostility against South Korea.
After the inauguration of Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which is more welcoming of defectors from North Korea than under the liberal President Moon Jae-in, North Korea fears that more might be trying to flee, South Korean intelligence authorities believe.
Over the first year of the Yoon administration, eight elite defectors including their family members came to South Korea. The number of elite defectors and their family averaged five during the five years of the Moon administration.
The document noted that in the past year there have been growing signs of North Koreans on overseas assignments deserting their posts to defect to a third country.
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