It has been reported that North Korea’s security agency is trying to monitor residents’ movements through public phones.
A North Hamgyong Province source told Daily NK on the 18th, “As part of a project to understand the daily lives of residents, the North Hamgyong Province Security Bureau requested the Provincial Post Office to record and transcribe public phone calls from July to September and compile a comprehensive document early this month.” He said.
This year, the Provincial Security Bureau decided to focus on monitoring the contents of public phone calls as a way to understand the public sentiment and ideological trends of residents amid the economic difficulties that have deepened due to floods. We analyzed whether or not it was being exposed.
Until a few years ago, it was routine to monitor residents’ movements through public phone calls, but as the rate of mobile phone use in North Korea has steadily increased and surveillance has focused on individual mobile phones, residents have recently It is said that they are avoiding surveillance by using public phones.
In response to this, North Korea’s security agency is known to have set up a surveillance system through public phone management teams at each local post office and is actively using transcripts of public phone call recordings to monitor residents’ movements.
The source said, “The public telephone management team working under the position number 0 consists of a leader and two employees. Although they are employees of the basic post office, they also perform surveillance duties while serving as informants for the National Security Agency and the Elementary Party Committee.”
At the same time, he added, “The post office’s number 0 serves as a tool to monitor residents, and residents cannot avoid the state’s surveillance network even when making routine calls.” He added, “Residents have no choice but to be subjected to a thorough surveillance system.”
According to sources, most residents believe that public phones are much safer than cell phones. To use a public phone, you must submit your ID card and then make a call in a designated booth, but it is said that not many residents are aware that this is all being wiretapped.
The source said, “Last year alone, there were six cases at the border of North Hamgyong Province where people were reported as spies or subversive elements while using public phones,” adding, “Most of these people are brokers who use Chinese mobile phones, and they have access to public phones with related residents in the country.” “I was caught making a secret phone call.”
Accordingly, the source reported that some residents who are aware of this situation are complaining, saying things like, “It would be great if the residents’ lives would develop and change, but only surveillance and control methods are developing,” and “I can’t use public phones or cell phones because I’m scared.”
Source: www.dailynk.com
