North Korean security officers entrap would-be defectors

‘Broker fraud’ is increasing in North Korea, where DPRK security officers claim to be brokers when they are actually security officers.

Lee Byung-chul, who left North Korea in 2010, claims that “Broker fraud is one of the key strategies of the North Korean authorities. They take advantage of the fact that brokers help facilitate the escape attempts of North Koreans.”

Security officers wearing civilian clothes casually approach family members of North Korean escapees. They then make mention of how ‘there’s been contact from the outside.’

“If you answer ‘let me talk to them’ to the security officer, they obtain grounds enough to send you to a prison camp,” Lee explains.

Although knowing this risk, “There are many cases where people wonder, ‘What if it is really true that they are trying to contact me?’ and ask to speak to them.”

Kim Yeon-suk, who left North Korea in September 2012, sees ‘broker fraud’ as a way for North Korean authorities to deepen suspicion among the people: “They tried to scare us by targeting the families of North Korean refugees, and no one could trust each other.”

Kim suggests, “Since people cannot even trust apparent brokers, the number of people escaping North Korea has decreased.”

According to official South Korean government figures, the number of North Korean refugees entering South Korea rose steadily in the last decade, but halved to the previous year’s level in 2012.

The South Korean Ministry of Unification attributes this sudden drop in successful escapes to a combination of North Korean security officers increasing their crackdown on defections, and on the Chinese authorities erecting fences along the Sino-NK border.

Park Ji-hoon, a North Korean broker, testifies: “It’s becoming more obvious these days how people distance themselves from you when you reveal that you are a broker who can help them escape.”

Park attributes the new practice of using code phrases between North Korean citizens and brokers to the ‘broker fraud’ phenomenon.

He explains, “In my case, one of my code phrases was ‘General Kim Jong Un is great.’ This doesn’t arouse suspicion in North Korea, and also allows for light mockery of Kim Jong Un during the stressful process of escape. The phrase works because North Koreans who are attempting escape from North Korea no longer consider Kim to be a great leader.”

“As the regime’s methods become more cunning, it’s only natural that would-be defectors come up with ways to circumvent them.”

A fierce tug of war exists between brokers, North Korean citizens and the authorities; and will exist as long as North Koreans are kept locked within their borders.