A recent incident has acutely highlighted
the high-handed behavior, namely violence under the pretense of inspections, of officials with the Chosun People’s Army [KPA] Defense Security Command [DSC]–an unceasing source of rage among residents.
“Six armed soldiers with the DSC barged
into the train (bound for Musan from Pyongyang) in Musan Station, North
Hamkyung Province and suddenly began conducting luggage checks,” a source in
the same province reported to Daily NK on March 24th. “They unleashed a
torrent of violence, hitting civilians and ordinary soldiers in the process. “
He added, “If people were deemed uncooperative during
the search, these officials would scream, ‘Why are you so slow? What’s
your problem?’ while they kicked and hit these hapless people. A man in
his 60s or 70s valiantly protested by saying, ‘You’re a military inspector! You
should be handling only soldiers–why are you examining ordinary residents
too?’ The guards responded by punching that poor old man so hard that he
vomited blood.”
The source explained that the guards
falling under the DSC are notorious for committing this brand of indiscriminate
violence across the country. “It’s no surprise these guards have become a
major source of fear and hatred among residents and general soldiers alike,” he asserted.
Defense Security Command platoons are
scattered across the country, concentrated in border areas to maintain control
over guard posts, the floating population and vehicles filling those areas,
main railway hubs, and the web of roads linking Pyongyang to the rest of the
country. DSC officials wield far more power and authority than
the military police, according to the source.
“On every route into Pyongyang DSC
inspection posts are invariably present next to military police posts,” he
explained. “Even personnel or vehicles who pass checks at the military police
posts are frequently detained at the Defense Security Command posts for an
entire day, obviously causing a great deal of anger.”
This behavior does not go entirely
unpunished, however, at least for some offenders; resident-delivered justice often prevails–when officers previously affiliated with the DSC are discharged or enter
military academies, they are frequently ostracized and/or undergo severe beatings
at the hands of their former victims.
He asserted the recent train incident to be
no exception, with those affected by the incident already saying, “Just wait until those DSC soldiers are discharged…we’ll break their legs as soon
as they’re out of their uniforms.”
