{"id":4368,"date":"2019-11-18T09:33:16","date_gmt":"2019-11-18T00:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4368"},"modified":"2022-01-24T15:33:35","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T06:33:35","slug":"agency-of-power-financial-difficultiesextortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/11\/news\/agency-of-power-financial-difficultiesextortion\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Bribery Bust-Up: Police Chief Replaces All Traffic Cops to Ensure Monopoly Over Bribe Money"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo) A traffic stop officer in a blue uniform stands at a checkpoint. Photograph taken in South Pyongan Province in January 2011 by Kim Dong-cheol (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

The North Korean government is mired in a severe shortage of foreign currency due to UN security council sanctions. On top of this, the police force is also suffering from financial difficulties. To maintain operation of the organization, police officers are currently being given quotas for receiving bribes. In addition, it is reported that there is a power struggle being waged by top officials over use of the collected bribes. From September to October, multiple reporting partners in North Korea reported on these developments. (Kang Ji-won\/ISHIMARU Jiro)<\/p>\n

The Kim Jong-un regime is once again calling for \u201cself-reliance\u201d as a rallying cry for overcoming economic difficulties. The regime is asking for factories, businesses, and citizens to find solutions to their problems through their own efforts. In other words, the regime has no capacity and, therefore, is ordering people to find ways to survive on their own.<\/p>\n

A reporting partner from North Hamkyung Province, speaking on the topic of \u2018self-reliance\u2019, said, \u201cMost of the factories have stopped. Even the raw materials imported from China are insufficient. The government is calling for \u2018self-reliance\u2019 but even primary school students know that it\u2019s not possible. The markets are depressed and nothing is being sold. There are kotjebi (homeless children) in every market.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Collecting bribes to pay for gasoline and new computers<\/h2>\n

Government organizations are facing significant challenges too. Even the police, charged with maintaining order and controlling the people, are at the point of financial desperation that they now demand bribes blatantly and systematically.<\/p>\n

In October, a reporting partner from Ryanggang Province said, \u201cThe police are suffering from financial difficulties and are expanding the scope of their crackdown. The police have had no choice but to ask police officers to collect bribes and extort citizens in order to raise the money needed to maintain the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the center of this crackdown are the inspection and traffic divisions. The inspection division is charged with cracking down on corruption within institutions and businesses but, lately, has been openly condemning targets and demanding money.<\/p>\n

According to a reporting partner in Ryanggang Province, \u201cAfter the paper factory in downtown Hyesan ran out of operating funds, the inspection division found that the factory had been selling wood and other raw materials to individuals. The inspections division demanded 100 kilograms of fuel from the factory for the police office. I have heard that they demanded money from other businesses to replace the computers for resident registration.\u201d
\nNext page : Motorbike licenses sold for 50 times the regular, stipulated price...<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A woman points confronts a police officer demanding bribes, cursing at him, \u201cWho do you think you are?\u201d Photograph taken in South Pyongan Province in June 2010 by Kim Dong-cheol (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u25c6 Motorbike licenses sold for 50 times the regular, stipulated price<\/h2>\n

The other key to making money is through the traffic division. Besides receiving bribes through individual traffic citations, the division openly demands money for issuing licenses for buses, trucks, and motorcycles.<\/p>\n

According to the reporting partner, \u201cThe traffic division of Hyesan City is creating a \u2018crackdown target list\u2019 of individuals and companies that have vehicles privately registered. An acquaintance of mine registered a 10-ton truck under an architectural design company for moving cargo 6 times a month between Hyesan and Hamheung. He is being fleeced by the transportation division for 1,000 RMB (about 165,000 South Korean won) per month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Motorcycle licenses, which are treated as private possessions, are also a source of money. Licenses are supposed to be sold for about 100,000 North Korean won (about 13,000 South Korean won) but the transportation division is reportedly selling the licenses for 4,000 RMB (about 660,000 South Korean won). This is 50 times the stipulated, regular price.<\/p>\n

Bribery demands and extortion by the police, secret police, and other such security organizations were common occurrences in the past, leading to many complaints from citizens and internal issues for the authorities to deal with. As financial difficulties have worsened in recent years, bribery and extortion have become all the more blatant. In response, the reporting partner says, \u201copposition from residents is strong\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Police officials feud over \u2018bribery rights\u2019<\/h2>\n

Conflict is also arising within security agencies due to disputes over bribery interests. According to a report in late September from a reporting partner in Musan County, North Hamkyung Province, all police posted at transport division traffic stops were replaced by Musan County\u2019s Police Chief.<\/p>\n

Traffic stops, where police take bribes directly from passers-by, are the most lucrative posts for police officers. Ostensibly, the reason for the complete replacement of traffic stop officers was their corruption and negligence during crackdowns. As the reporting partner explained, however, the real cause was the power struggle between top security officials vying for access to the bribe money.<\/p>\n

The traffic stop officers were all replaced on September 9- the holiday marking the Party\u2019s Foundation Day. Musan County\u2019s Police Chief had ordered for bribes from the traffic stops to be used to fund the special rations to be given to citizens to mark the national holiday. The police officers posted at the traffic stops violated the order, however, saying they could not raise the funds because they were already tasked with providing the money to other organizations such as the Workers\u2019 Party and inminban (local neighborhood political units).<\/p>\n

Angered by this, the Police Chief ordered for the police officers at traffic stops to be completely replaced, citing their poor work ethic and corruption. Though the true intention behind the replacement, of course, is to ensure that money from the bribes is not leaked to officials of other agencies.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner explained, \u201cAt the direction of the Country\u2019s Police Chief, the traffic stop officers were to all be replaced, including those who previously served as officers in the military and those who had just entered the police force. He appointed only police officers who would pass on the bribe money as they are supposed to. He has also started to approach senior officials from other agencies to serve as his eyes and ears. The wife of an ordinary police officer complained, \u2018The Police Chief is doing ridiculous things to enrich himself.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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