Anti-Government Leaflets Found in Hoeryong

Hoeryong, in North Korea’s far northeast, is the birthplace of Kim Jong Il’s mother, but with its low economic status and proximity to the Chinese border, it is also something of a hotspot for smuggling, capitalism, and dissent. Previous reports from Hoeryong have told of other leafleting incidents and at least one reported market protest. Now there is word of more anti-government leaflets found there:

Quoting a source from Chongjin, Free North Korea Radio (FNKR) reported yesterday that a large quantity of fliers criticizing the Kim Jong Il regime were distributed around Hoiryeong in North Hamkyung Province on or before June 25th.

The security forces were apparently ordered to collect the fliers and investigate where they came from.

It may be that local residents passed these out, or that they fell from a leaflet balloon from South Korea.

“According to an official within the NSA, Hoiryeong NSA reported flier distribution in a certain region of the city, and said that members of the city NSA had been mobilized to block passage through the region and collect all the fliers,” the source reportedly explained.

The source reportedly added, “At 5AM on the 25th, Hoiryeong National Security Agency (NSA) mobilized its members to collect the fliers covertly.

He also said, “Hoiryeong NSA had finished collecting and incinerating the fliers by 11AM the same day. They were ordered to find the source of the fliers but keep it classified so that people would remain ignorant of the incident. [Daily NK]

Because I am a devious person, I can’t help but think devious thoughts when I read about security forces being mobilized to pick up litter. Spread enough of these leaflets around and you can force the redeployment of units, see that certain areas are thinly manned, and put a tremendous strain on the security forces’ equipment, fuel supplies, and morale.