North Korea tightens grip: Harsh penalties for dissent in Haeju
The Ministry of State Security in North Korea has detained two residents of the city of Haeju. According to the Daily NK portal, their arrest was due to critical remarks about Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un.
The Daily NK portal reported that a private conversation between two individuals was overheard by an informant from the local branch of North Korea's Ministry of State Security.
During the conversation, they expressed concern about increasing tensions with South Korea, stating that "there must be a war for this country to collapse quickly, and that if there were a war, everyone would run to South Korea or China."
The residents also criticized government decisions to remove the concepts of "unification" and "nation" from propaganda materials. They claimed, "Everyone wants reunification, but the government no longer wants it. We’re left with half a country, and we’ve lost hope."
According to the Daily NK informant, the men also mocked Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the North Korean leader. They accused her of focusing on military matters instead of improving the country's economic situation and social welfare during this challenging time.
Their conversation was overheard. They were quickly arrested
The informant who listened to the men relayed these critical comments to the ministry, which ultimately led to the arrest of the conversers by North Korean authorities.
The day after the arrest, the families of both detainees suddenly disappeared. Residents who knew these individuals now fear for their safety. A source reports that in Haeju, due to its proximity to South Korea, such incidents occur pretty frequently. Recently, another resident was arrested for criticizing the government during a private conversation.
According to Daily NK, the Ministry of State Security in Haeju plans to increase the number of informants and tighten surveillance over the local community.
