North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

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of the State Security Department or the Organization and Guidance Department, with a recording or transcript of a political opponent’s conversations would be an ideal means of neutralizing or disadvantaging him. Access to Information The average citizen within the DPRK has very little opportunity to access foreign or uncensored information. The great majority of radios and televisions within the DPRK do not come with tuners or, if they do, these are limited to selecting only the state-approved radio and TV stations. Most people cannot access foreign broadcasts. In fact, the Ministry of Public Security and to a lesser degree the State Security Department ensure that average citizens do not modify their radios and televisions to receive foreign broadcasts. To do so, and to be found out, can result in extreme prison (i.e., detention camp) sentences. However, as an individual moves up through society, his potential to access uncensored information increases. As a civilian, it is when an individual attains a mid-level position within the KWP or government administration (especially one involved in external affairs) that such access can become a reality. Despite draconian efforts, it appears that gradually increasing numbers of average citizens are risking their livelihoods to listen to ROK radio broadcasts. During the mid 1990s, the ROK Korean Broadcasting System surveyed defectors and arrived at an estimate of 2 to 6 million people within the DPRK who listen to their programming using inexpensive battery operated transistor radios manufactured in China and obtained on the black market. Since the time of this report, the border with China has become considerably more porous to black market trade and it appears that the number of illegal transistor radios within the DPRK has grown considerably. 22 An individual’s ability to access information appears also to be dependent upon his physical location. Individuals living in P’yongyang, other large cities, or in the provinces along the DMZ appear to have a greater opportunity to view or listen to foreign broadcasts, while those living near the Chinese border appear to have a greater opportunity to obtain unrestricted televisions and radios. High-ranking officials within the KWP and Cabinet frequently have access to foreignmade televisions or radios that do not have their tuners restricted. These are frequently presented to them as gifts from Kim Chong-il, obtained through individuals engaged in foreign trade, or 22 Author interview data; “2 to 6 Million in North Reportedly Hear KBS,” Yonhap, February 13, 1995, as cited in FBIS-EAS-95-031; and “Many North Koreans Eager to Listen to South Korean Radio Program,” North Korea News, May 23, 1994, No. 736, p. 4. I-16
purchased on the black market. More significantly, they have access to regularly published translations of foreign broadcasts (see below). 23 Within the military, the potential to access uncensored or foreign information becomes significant at the level of a general grade officer or mid-level officer within a major bureau of the General Staff Department or MPAF. The members of the National Defense Commission have the potential to directly access whatever foreign or uncensored information they wish. They also have access to regularly published translations of foreign broadcasts, the opportunity to travel abroad, access to the Internet, and the opportunity to purchase foreign made radios and televisions that can access ROK, Japanese and Chinese stations. The members of the military and power-holding elite typically have support staffs. In most military organizations and corporations throughout the world, it is not just the leaders who possess a certain level of power and access, but their support staffs do also. So it is with the staffs of the military and power-holding elites in the DPRK, who can be viewed as also having almost as much access to uncensored and foreign information as the people they work for. This access is even more pronounced with the DPRK’s military elite since many are elderly, not computer savvy, and depend heavily upon their support staffs for information, research, and computer skills. Thus, the number of individuals within the military who actually have access to uncensored and foreign information is significantly greater than normally would be assumed. Flow of Information The flow of information within the DPRK can best be described as “Kimcentric,” - vertical and convoluted; that is, it is towards Kim Chong-il that all important information streams, and from him that all significant orders and directions issue forth. For the nation in general, and the military specifically, this flow is vertical. In most militaries in the world, information flows both up and down the chain of command and horizontally at each level, while orders flow down. Within the KPA, information flows up the chain of command and only orders flow down. There is extremely little horizontal flow of information or communications except at the highest levels. Major KPA units (e.g., corps, divisions, and brigades) can communicate with headquarters above them and units subordinate to them, but very little communication is permitted with units adjacent to them. These communications, according to defectors, rely heavily upon computers down to the battalion level and are conducted over what is presumed to be a secure military intranet. 24 The vertical flow of information is a means of 23 24 “High-Level Defector Comments on DPRK Military,” Choson Ilbo, February 5-9, 1996, as cited in FBIS-EAS- 96-072; and “Articles by Defector Kang Myong-to Reported,” p. 3. “N. Korea-Computer Craze,” Associated Press, December 24, 2003. I-17
Page 1 and 2: INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES Nort
Page 3: INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES IDA
Page 7: CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & INTROD
Page 11 and 12: To write accurately about North Kor
Page 13: technocrats, provincial and county
Page 17: PREFACE This paper will examine in
Page 21: ABBREVIATIONS AGI CCSKA COMSEC DoD
Page 24 and 25: information streams, and from him t
Page 26 and 27: within the hands of a few individua
Page 28 and 29: and whether or not he will embarras
Page 30 and 31: to the lowest-levels of the KPA. As
Page 32 and 33: strengthening of all armed forces,
Page 34 and 35: esearch institutes and “think tan
Page 36 and 37: The primary missions of the Reconna
Page 38 and 39: communication that generally fall o
Page 42 and 43: maintaining strict control over the
Page 44 and 45: agencies in the ROK and Japan began
Page 46 and 47: The Guard and Security Commands, wh
Page 48 and 49: eports that are funneled up through
Page 50 and 51: Complicating the entire “Kim-cent
Page 52 and 53: Within the military, this dynamic c
Page 54 and 55: him that all significant orders and
Page 56 and 57: Until the 1990s, the electronic med
Page 59: II. THE NORTH KOREAN LEADERSHIP: SY
Page 62 and 63: TABLES 1. Key Family Members in the
Page 64 and 65: The factional struggles in North Ko
Page 67 and 68: A. INTRODUCTION By definition, a to
Page 69 and 70: C. THE TECHNOLOGY OF POWER A Party
Page 71 and 72: document control bureaus in each mi
Page 73 and 74: Originally implemented in 1994 and
Page 75 and 76: Table II-1. Key Family Members in t
Page 77 and 78: of associates who trace their relat
Page 79 and 80: September 9, 2003, showed a change
Page 81 and 82: Chart II-2: Secretariat 5. Kye Ung-
Page 83 and 84: Members 1. Yi Ul-sul 4. Yi Yong-mu
Page 85 and 86: Table II-6. Kim Chong-il’s Princi
Page 87 and 88: Table II-7. Kim Chong-il’s Person
Page 89 and 90: chance to unfold. In terms of syste
Page 91 and 92:
domestic policy arena, the split is
Page 93 and 94:
At the second echelon of power, Kim
Page 95 and 96:
D. FLOW OF INFORMATION George Kenna
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about things that affect their care
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(ID) and External Liaison (ELD) dep
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For the rest of the North Korean le
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the focus for not only a significan
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At the 11 th Supreme People’s Ass
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There is little doubt that one of t
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decision-making process. Moreover,
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III. THE WELL-INFORMED CADRE RALPH
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DEFINITIONS AND A
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greater access to first-hand inform
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The first question addressed by thi
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But this lack of enthusiasm is prob
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as the 1950s. 16 The security organ
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Another way to look at divisions wi
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Because the Kim regime governs acco
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guess is that anyone who rises in t
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But even though the media serve as
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Newspapers The DPRK’s premier new
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motivation in its readers through m
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Page 2: • Kim Jong-suk’s develo
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This selection of news items presen
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in the wake of the U.S. propaganda
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the general audience in a two-step
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also countries surrounding the Kore
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that the war in Iraq was “a test
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and transform us internally through
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eceived with little thought and has
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outside world than the ordinary wor
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cognitive dissonance, particular ca
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IV. INSIDE NORTH KOREA’S BLACK BO
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The North Korean
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A. BETTER, MERRIER, MORE HOPEFUL LI
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In contrast, the optimists believe
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to the throne. The State Council us
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1976-1977, 4 and in 1986-1987 (see
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Bulgarian Trade Unions, after which
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Second, the principal objective of
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southward expansion, and, last but
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controlling some of North Korea’s
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also against the second-tier family
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Kim Sung-ae, who is Kim Il Sung’s
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“National Security Establishment
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October 1980. Many of them (Yon Hyo
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severe draught in 1988 and the dram
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The advent of the “Songun Era”
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IV-30
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Bearing in mind Kim Jong Il’s rec
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Table IV-2. Composition of the Nort
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Cabinet Posts 10 th SPA 11 th SPA R
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Eastern Europe. That was reportedly
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Table IV-5. Leading Ideologues Insi
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Table IV-7. Regional Origins of Top
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“Foreign Wind” The “foreign w
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Table IV-10. Some of the Most Influ
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Table IV-11. The North-South “Han
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Song Sok Hwan Vice-Minister Cha Sun
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Table IV-13. Korean-American “Int
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content and government monitoring.
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Northern security, military, and pa
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APPENDIX B TONGIL STREET FREE MARKE
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V. REACHING INTO NORTH KOREA DAVID
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY North Korea is no
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message right to Kim Jong-il, and m
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isk escape from the hermit kingdom.
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Society is divided into three broad
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contradictions.” 17 This makes se
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Internet is not specifically mentio
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led to a training program for young
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North Korea’s exports from legiti
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een the biggest buyers of ivory ove
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worker who travels throughout North
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If we want to reach into North Kore
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conversations with the correct mix
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Although the future of cellular tel
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There are a host of other things on
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Each of the five papers in this col
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promotions) and punishments (e.g.,
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although presumably all calls are m
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cultural rules.” Given the “str
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Speaking of Kim, whom does he consu
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Terms of Reference: North Korean Po
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Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. is an intern
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APPENDIX C ASIAN VIEWS OF NORTH KOR
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In any case, the reforms provide a
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View from Seoul The single most imp
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Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION
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