North Korean dissent: Citizens arrested over private chat
The Ministry of State Security in North Korea has detained two residents of the city of Haeju. According to the Daily NK portal, the reason for their arrest was critical remarks made about Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un.
As reported by the Daily NK portal, an informant from the local branch of North Korea's Ministry of State Security overheard a private conversation between two individuals.
During the conversation, they expressed their concern about the growing 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 criticised government decisions to remove the concepts of "unification" and "nation" from propaganda materials. According to them, "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 economic situation and social welfare during this challenging time for the country.
Their conversation was overheard. They were swiftly arrested
The informant who listened to the men passed 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 quite frequently. Recently, another resident was arrested for criticising 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.
