{"id":4106,"date":"2019-03-01T11:37:57","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T02:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4106"},"modified":"2019-03-01T13:41:40","modified_gmt":"2019-03-01T04:41:40","slug":"leaders-absence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/03\/recommendations\/leaders-absence\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Big Brother Never Leaves: Domestic Security Tightened, Despite Leader\u2019s Absence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo) A traffic guard in blue stands at a checkpoint. Photograph taken in South Pyongan Province by Kim Dong-chulin January 2011 (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6Kim Jong-un is in Vietnam, so Why is Security so Tight Back at Home?<\/h2>\n

Though Kim Jong-un is away in Vietnam to meet President Trump, security back in North Korea is reportedly tighter than ever. With the North Korean leader absent for so long, police and party officials are on high alert and have been instructed to prevent any incidents that could possibly embarrass the regime on the international stage. (Kang Ji-won)<\/p>\n

According to reports from multiple reporting partners in North Pyongan Province, security started to get much tighter from early February.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the tense atmosphere back home, a reporting partner said, \"Police officers and secret police are patrolling residential areas around the clock. I know it's just to prevent possible incidents, but I'm afraid they might find fault with any small thing and arrest me.\"<\/p>\n

In other cities in the North, it is said that residents are being assigned by local district officials to act as guards over their own residential areas, with local government officials running random checks of posts every night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.<\/p>\n

According to the reporting partner, \"If a stranger or someone from a different area is found, it is the responsibility of residents to identify and report them to the police.\"
\nNext page : With an 'election' scheduled for March 10th\u2026 <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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(Photo) A checkpoint set up at the entrance of a subway station. A soldier blocks a man with a small backpack from entering the station, saying \u201cPlease go out\u201d. Photograph taken in Daesung District, Pyongyang by Koo Kwang-ho in June 2011 (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6With an 'election' scheduled for March 10th, the regime looks to protect voting booths from vandalism<\/h2>\n

There are two reasons for this strict watch. The first is, of course, to be on the alert so that there will be no incidents at home during Kim Jong-un's visit to Vietnam. If the international community reports a serious incident such as an uprising by dissidents or the defection of North Korean citizens or soldiers, it would give an impression of national instability.<\/p>\n

The second reason is that Kim Jong-un is planning to stage an election for the Supreme People's Assembly on March 10, shortly after his return from Vietnam. This rubber stamp election is merely a formality, however, as 100 percent of the votes are typically cast in favor of nominated representatives. Despite this, the event plays an important role in maintaining the North Korean regime as it promotes the idea that it is backed by popular support.<\/p>\n

The \u201cterm of office\u201d for elected representatives of the Supreme People\u2019s Assembly is 5 years, with elections last held in 2014. The outcomes of the 2014 elections were, of course, not highly contested but they did, however, cause an uptick in dissident activity. The authorities discovered that some polling stations had been vandalized overnight and that one sign had been graffitied over to change the word \u2018\uc120\uac70\uc7a5\u2019 (polling station) to \u2018\uc11c\uac70\uc7a5\u2019 (death zone).<\/p>\n

On February 18, a reporter partner from North Hamkyung Province made a call to ASIAPRESS explaining, \u201cEach day, the inminban (local political unit) sets up security at the local polling stations. The local government and party officials have instructed them to not leave their posts for a single minute until the day of the election. This is the first time that such security measures have been taken so far in advance of an election. The people are bored stiff having to stand guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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