By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea has tightened security along its border with China in the wake of the recent defection of a London-based senior diplomat, sources said Wednesday.
Thae Yong-ho, who was deputy ambassador at the North Korean Embassy in Britain, recently fled to South Korea with his wife and children, becoming one of the highest-ranking North Korean officials to escape the repressive state.
“The North Korean regime has been tightening internal control as well as security along the border with China to prevent further defections after Thae,” a source familiar with North Korean issues told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Another source told reporters that officers from the North’s State Security Department (SSD) have been visiting residential areas every day after Thae’s defection to propagandize the North Korean system.
The source added that the North Korean people do not seem to be aware of Thae’s defection, but some people are “whispering about it.”
Sources said the Kim Jong-un regime is even trying to win smugglers over to its side to receive reports from them about any defection attempts.
They said dozens of people were taken by SSD officers from the border city of Hyesan following reports by smugglers. Sources added that in return, SSD officers are helping smugglers do business without problems and that the officers are threatening to punish them if they do not comply with the regime’s orders.
Even if North Korean residents successfully leave the North and enter China, another danger would be waiting for them as they are very likely to be caught by Chinese security officers, according to Kim Seong-min, head of Free North Korea Radio.
“Chinese security officers arrested six North Korean defectors in Yanji, Tuesday,” Kim said.