Kim Myungsung/SAND Secretary General

◇ The Heart of North Korea is Ailing.

On March 31, 2023, the South Korean government unveiled its first report on North Korean human rights issues published under the North Korean Human Rights Act, and interesting statistics stated in the report is drawing attention. In a survey conducted on 508 North Korean defectors to the South, the largest proportion, or 76% were found to have come from North Hamgyong province and Ryanggang province, followed by 11% from Pyongyang which is a relatively high ratio. Notably, it was the first time defectors from Pyongyang hovered around 10% of the total count. Approximately 36,000 defectors have fled to South Korea thus far, with most of them from provincial areas and only 2~3% from the capital. North Korea tightened its border blockade after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequently, the ratio of overseas workers to the total number of defectors marked a relative growth. The fact that North Korea preferably chooses to send overseas people of Pyongyang who are regarded to have more loyalty to the regime explains the increased percentage of Pyongyang in the statistics. These overseas workers from Pyongyang once exposed to the outside world, however, seem to have realized the paradox of the North Korean regime and decided to flee the state.

North Korea calls Pyongyang the “Heart of the Revolution”, which illustrates the great significance rendered to the capital. Few of those who live in provincial areas have a chance to set foot in Pyongyang in their lifetime. A majority of North Korean defectors say they have never been to the capital. As such, people in Pyongyang regard themselves as privileged citizens to an extent that Pyongyang is referred to as a republic and the rest of the country as colonies. It is for this reason that North Koreans who had made it to South Korea from Pyongyang were placed under more stringent interrogations by South Korean anti-communist investigation agencies in the past.

Internal North Korean sources also reveal the changing awareness of people in Pyongyang. North Korea reportedly rounded up thousands of criminals in the capital during a crackdown on the Korean Wave across the country last year. A video produced by the Ministry of State Security last December and entitled “Let’s intensify our strives to eradicate all types of anti-socialist and non-socialist activities from the capital” showed over 1,000 people had admitted their criminal acts in Seosong District alone. Crimes are prevalent also in other parts of the capital, ranging from watching or distributing South Korean soap operas to prostitution, murder, robbery, fraud, and embezzlement. Experts suggest what lies behind Kim Jong-un’s relentless drive towards nuclear and missiles is his anxieties over the changing awareness of people in Pyongyang, the heart of the regime, as well as an attempt to threaten South Korea, the US, and Japan.

◇ Kim Ju-ae is missing from media coverage after controversies over her luxury coat.

Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who had accompanied her father to missile launches by the military since last November has recently been missing in public events, raising questions about the background. The last time she made a public appearance was at the tactical guided weapon launch and the “Hwasong-17” ICBM launch on March 10 and 16 respectively and she has since been absent from media coverage. Kim Ju-ae was also spotted at neither the underwater nuclear torpedo launch which was dubbed as the “symbol of absolute power” by North Korean state media on March 27 nor the unveiling of the tactical nuclear warhead “Hwasan-31” on March 28.

Some suggest she may be staying away from the media for the time being until negative sentiments are eased over her KRW 2.4 million Dior coat worn to the ICBM launch on March 16, which triggered controversies. In a video unveiled by Chosun Joongang TV, Kim Ju-ae was spotted wearing a black coat at the ICBM launch, which happens to be one manufactured by French luxury fashion house Christian Dior. The hooded-down coat for kids she wore retails for $1900 (KRW 2.4 million) on Dior’s website.

According to recent reports, North Korea is facing a serious food shortage with millions starving to death. Yet, the North Korean leadership is being criticized for their extravagant spending sprees as shown in the case of Kim Ju-ae's luxury coat. There is also nothing new about her parents' adoration for luxury goods, Km Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju. The North Korean authorities condemn consuming imported goods as a sickness and demand people use domestic goods. Luxury goods, such as watches, clothes, and accessories, are subject to an export ban under the UN sanctions against North Korea. These controversies over Kim's luxury coat have seemingly brought about negative views on her public appearance even among North Koreans and Kim may make a comeback to media coverage once the dust dies down.

◇ Kim Jong-un keeps low profile before Kim Il-sung's birthday in April... but intensive provocation continues.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has disappeared from media coverage since earlier April after frequent public appearances throughout March. Meanwhile, North Korea has set out to boom up festivity on the occasion of the 111th birth anniversary of North Korea's founder and first leader Kim Il-sung, which is the biggest national holiday in the state.

A variety of celebrations will sweep across North Korea, including Kim Il-sung's photo exhibitions and the Spring People's Art Festival. In the meantime, North Korea said it tested an underwater nuclear attack drone, which is an unmanned underwater vehicle. The “Haeil-2” nuclear torpedo is the third of its kind unveiled by North Korea and its traveling distance was extended to 1000 km this time, capable of striking the south coast over the high seas or reaching as far as ports in Japan. Some even suggest the torpedo deployed from a surface ship underwater could secretly attack U.S. aircraft carriers stationed in Gwam or the Pacific. The Haeil-2 was launched on the following day of the tripartite anti-submarine drill among South Korea, the US, and Japan headed by a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz at the front. Seemingly it was an attempt for North Korea to protest against the joint military drill. Some have speculated that North Korea might stage intensive military provocations such as a reconnaissance satellite launch in protest against the South Korea-US summit slated at the end of April.

◇ Kim Yo-jong condemns Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a public statement.

On April 1, Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party made a public statement accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Kim said “Zelenskiyy's talk about the introduction of U.S. nuclear weapons and the independent development of nuclear weapons is a manifestation of his very dangerous political ambition to prolong his remaining days at any cost by gambling with the destiny of his country and people” in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency.

Her accusation came after an appeal was uploaded on President Zelenskyy's website calling for deploying U.S. nuclear weapons in Ukraine or developing the country's nuclear weapons. “It is a product of the Zelenskiyy authorities' sinister political plot,” she said.

Kim backed up her claim by saying that Ukrainian officials and President Zelensiyy have openly revealed their nuclear ambitions on several occasions. “If the Zelenskiyy authorities calculated that they can avoid the powerful fire of Russia only when they go under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, which had already been perforated, they are going to the wrong path,” she said.

In another statement made earlier in January, Kim Yo-jong strongly condemned the US for providing tanks to Ukraine. Her Ukraine bashing seems to be intended as a gesture of taking sides with Russia at war with Ukraine. Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in its ally, Belarus, and said nuclear weapons storage facilities would be completed by July 1, but Kim remained silent at that time. 

Her statement is also construed as a move to sponge on Russia in hopes of soliciting economic assistance. Two days before the statement was issued, the US said Russia, now short on ammunition, is planning to take military weapons from North Korea in exchange for food. Some have speculated that the phrase of "perforated U.S. nuclear umbrella" was meant to indirectly criticize South Korea for relying on the US' extended deterrence.