North Korean House of Cards

• The KWP Administrative Department had a target of $20 million
per year. 464
• The KWP OGD is tied to the Supreme Leader’s personal apparatus. It
is not clear if it has a mandated target. 465
• The GC is tied to the Supreme Leader’s personal apparatus. It is not
clear if it has a mandated target.
• The KPA GPB has a target of $10 million per year.
• The KPA GSD has a target of $10 million per year.
• The MPAF has a target of $10 million per year.
• The MSC has a target of $10 million per year.
• The RGB has a target of $10 million per year. 466,467
• The SSD has a target of $10 million per year.
• The MPS has a target of $10 million per year.
• Other Party and administrative offices (such as KWP LID and
Pyongyang City Administration) have targets of $2 million per year.
The final source of revenue for the Supreme Leader comes from a one percent
tax on the People’s Economy. 468,469 The total amount that goes into a governing
464 Since the dissolution of the KWP Administration Department, its hard currency operations
(and accompanying loyalty funds) have dispersed to several other organizations within the regime.
465 If the stories of Choe Ryong-hae assuming the position of KWP Secretary for the OGD are
true, this would be the first time the OGD has fallen under the control of someone other than a Kim
family member. This could result in the OGD being given a mandated target for loyalty payments.
466 “Dangers in a Cutthroat World,” Daily NK, September 2, 2011. According to some sources,
soon after its creation in 2009, the RGB advanced its hard currency operations into China, sending more
than 100 operatives there under the cover of monitoring Sino-South Korean relations. This move apparently
caused problems for other China-based hard currency operations run by the Ministry of Foreign
Trade, the SSD’s General Security Bureau, the MPS, and the MPAF.
467 “North Korea Requiring Diplomats to Raise Millions in U.S. Currency,” UPI, September 29,
2015. In the lead up to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Party in October
2015, reports surfaced in the international media that North Korean RGB agents in the field were
required to deliver $200,000 in “kickback” money to the regime or face penalties. According to Japanese
reporting, this led many spies to turn away from their normal duties to focus on generating foreign currency.
468 The GDP of North Korea is estimated to be $40 billion according to the International Trade
Office of Korea. The domestic economy has either contracted or grown at one percent in recent years,
according to South Korean government estimates based on limited data, with annual exports of about $3
billion, falling well short of the total amount of imports.
469 “Pyongyang Imposes Duty on Diplomats To Obtain Foreign Currency To Raise Funds To Celebrate
10 October 70th Anniversary of Founding of Workers’ Party of Korea,” Sankei Shimbun, September
29, 2015. In an indication of the Royal Economy’s declining condition, Kim Jong-un placed increasing pressure
on the North Korean diplomatic corps in the summer of 2015 to raise funds ahead of the Party’s 70th
anniversary in October. Each embassy staff member was responsible for raising $1 million in U.S. currency
to be passed to the regime. Average North Korean citizens were also asked to contribute $6 per household
(twice the monthly salary of the average North Korean worker) to offset the celebration expenses. The
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
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