BREAKING: Kim Jong-un issues an emergency standby order to DPRK foreign representatives

According to one of our regular North Korean correspondents who is out of the country on business, at 5AM on the 30th of January, Kim Jong-un issued an emergency standby order to all DPRK representatives stationed abroad. The order stresses for DPRK representatives not to say or act in any way that may provoke the US. In addition, it prohibits North Korean businessmen from holding meetings after the 30th, unless they were authorized in advance by the Party representative of a relevant embassy.

All representatives are required to phone the DPRK embassy every hour from a designated ground line, or notify them through other means when this is not possible. Finally, when leaving the embassy compound, they are to do so in groups of two or more.

After South Korean press reported that Kim Jong-un had declared martial law, we tried to confirm this through our sources in North Korea, but were unable to reach them. Nevertheless, our overseas source tells us that martial law has not been declared. Apparently, there has been a declaration of mobilization, which is one level below that of martial law. Even for representatives abroad, an emergency standby order was issued and not an actual emergency order.

In March 2012, North Korea had also issued a declaration of mobilization. The source added that the atmosphere within the country is not as severe this time round. It is said that after the security meeting on the 27th of January, Kim Jong-un issued at 00.00 on the 28th an order for all military personnel to enter into a state of combat readiness. On the 30th this mobilization order was issued to civilians also.