N.Korea Starts Clearing Special Economic Zone

▲ Shinuiju seen from Dandong, China ⓒDailyNK

Chosun Ilbo, South Korea
N.Korea Starts Clearing Special Economic Zone


North Korea early this year declared Shinuiju, a border town in North Pyongan Province, a special economic zone, North Korean officials said. Some 3,000 households in Pyongyang are to be relocated to Shinuiju under an urban development project launched there in June.
During a recent visit to China, a North Korean official told an official from the Chinese border city of Dandong the North will relocate Pyongyang citizens to the Shinuiju Special Economic Zone since they are “ideologically prepared." Some will be assigned as workers to an industrial complex, who will be joined by officials from the Ministry of Public Security and the State Security Department, and police officers and their families.
A Dandong official said, "I understand that housing prices in the Shinuiju area have skyrocketed due to rumors that Pyongyang citizens will move in." He said North Korean authorities plan to evict 3,000 households from Shinuiju to the city's suburbs to make room for the newcomers. Public and state security officers in Shinuiju have begun making a list of those with dubious backgrounds and who are ideologically suspect, which rumor has it will result in a roster for eviction.
Meanwhile, the Yalu River estuary is being dredged and all private houses near Shinuiju Railway Station are being demolished, while the special economic zone is being surrounded new by barbed-wire tangles and fences.
A North Korean source based in Dandong said an earlier Shinuiju special economic zone project promoted by Yang Bin, a Chinese, was aimed at making money through casinos and entertainment facilities. But on North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's instructions, the current project is designed to build a city that can play the same role as both the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Najin-Sunbong Free Trade Zone.

(englishnews@chosun.com )




▲ Bidan Island seen from Donggang, China ⓒDailyNK

7 ‘Shinuiju Liberalization’ Rumors, Follow-Up Tracing

[Special Spot Report] Bidan Island Development, Chinese Residents “Groundless”
By Kwon Jeong Hyun, Dandong of China
[2006-03-22 14:20 ]

After Kim Jong Il's visit to China early this year, there were rumors all over the districts as Shinuiju of North Korea and Dandong of China expecting ‘Shinuiju Special Region Development’ to be realized.
If Shinuiju is developed as a special region, all residents living in the districts of Shinuiju and Dandong will benefit financially. Great disappointment that these residents felt in September 2002 still remains when Shinuiju was expected to be developed as a special region but Yang Bin, who was appointed as the Minister of Special Region, was arrested. Thus, whenever NK-China relations seem to be close, rumors of ‘Shinuiju Special Region Development’ spread all over the districts.
Now, 7 rumors spreading all over the districts of Shinuiju and Dandong can be summarized as follows. Of them, there are facts which are confirmed to already start and real rumors or personal wishes which are not as trustworthy.
Shinuiju Roads and Housing Constructions Confirmed as True
First, a rumor had it that road extensions and repairs were under construction in Shinuiju. For the ‘Shinuiju Special Region Development’, infrastructure constructions such as roads and harbors are required. After examination, it became known that the road construction in Shinuiju was confirmed as true, although it was not clarified whether or not it was for the Shinuiju special region.
Second, there was a rumor that a huge housing complex was under construction. In order for a special region to be well established and given the characteristics of North Korea, removal of residents who are of humble origins in the areas should be preceded. After examination, it was confirmed that a huge housing complex is under construction, although it was not known to what degree it was.
Meanwhile, there was a rumor that a straightaway linking Shinuiju with Northern Shinuiju was under construction. According to an information source, the Chinese government invests in it and the North Korean government demobilizes labor for the construction.
Third, a rumor had it that on or before Kim Jong Il’s birthday, April 15th, North Korea would announce an ‘important statement’. The important statement is that a mega building, which would be completed in Shinuiju soon, would be open to all foreigners such as the Chinese and South Koreans. Yet, the condition is that the opportunity would fall to people who invest 10,000 dollars or more in North Korea. Besides that, there is a rumor that this is a kind of ‘Pilot Project’ which pretests a possibility of the realization of Shinuiju liberalization. Yet, until now, it has not been confirmed whether or not this is true.
Bidan Island Development, Chinese Residents “Groundless”

Fourth, a rumor had it that Bidan Island next to Shinuiju would be developed as a special region. This kind of a report was once reported in the domestic press.


Bidan Island faces Donggang City of China, which is 37km Southeast away from Dandong city. According to an official related to Donggang City, recently Donggang City has been contacted by the North Korean party concerned regarding Bidan Island development. However, a result of a meeting between the two parties seems to be unsatisfactory, and the parties just conveyed their wishful expectations. Moreover, a rumor had it that a ‘mega building’ expected to be built in Shinuiju, the third rumor, would be built on Bidan Island. A Chinese who often visits Bidan Island replied to a question regarding ‘Bidan Island Special Region’, “I did hear even noises of the land being dug up.”
Fifth, there was a rumor that a bridge linking North Korea to Langtou on the road to Donggang City from Dandong was under construction.
Plan of the rumor is rather specific. For example, total construction expenses are provided by China and the rest of it, 30%, is done by North Korea. The 30% of the capital is loaned to North Korea in a condition that China guarantees.
Besides it, the reason why the bridge is constructed is that the bridge can be used as a major road when ‘One day Free Market’ is open to foreigners for Shiniju liberalization. The market is held in an area a little away from Shinuiju.
Sixth, there was a rumor that in and before March 18th a NK-China talk concerned with ‘Shinuiju liberalization’ would be held in Dandong. At the same time, an additional rumor has it that because of Chinese People Representatives Convention, the talk would be delayed in 2 weeks. As a result of confirmation of Dandong, there is no such plan.
Seventh, a rumor had it that from June, free visa to Shinuiju would be issued. It is saying that the available duration to stay in Shinuiju would be one day, despite the free visa. According to a trader working in North Korea, “it has not been heard.”
From March 1th to 17th, an Intensive Crackdown on Cellular Phones in All over the District, Shinuiju
Like this, there have been various rumors. However, only two are viably confirmed. They are that road extension and repairs are under construction in Shinuiju and a huge house complex is under construction in Northern Shinuiju. The rest of them are repetitions that spread when in 2002 a statement of ‘Shinuiju Special Region Development’ was declared.
While expectation and demand about the liberalization are increasing domestically and internationally, the North Korea does not still slacken the rein of protecting its system.
From March 1th, there was an intensive crack down on cellular phones in Shinuiju. This was an extensive crack down involved even internal audit in the National Security Agency. The reason for it was that a North Korean was detected to be on the cellular phone with a South Korean in Yongchun district. Because North Korean traders turned off their phones, Chinese traders who did not know about the crackdown jump up and down impatiently. The crackdown was finished.
In March 2006, there was the Yalu River where false winds about liberalization in one hand conflict with winds of crackdown in the other hand.



"A 10,000 Censor Group Inspecting Border Areas around Shinuiju"
NK Source "the First Purpose Seems the Crack-Down on Drugs and Cellular Phones"
By Kwak Dae Jung, Editorial Board
[2006-04-24 16:54 ]


▲ Shinuiju viewed from Dandong of China

According to a few well-informed sources,19 April the North Korean government started extensively cracking down on drugs and cellular Phones by dispatching a comprehensive censor group on a 10,000 scale to development cities around Shinuiju and the Yalu River.
The source said that, "To correct such slack discipline problems as drug trafficking, anti-government statements, and an accident with an outflow of the government information to the outside, the biggest group was dispatched and under activity", adding, "It led to strengthening the crack-down on cellular phones and because of it, now it is impossible to directly connect with North Koreans staying in North Korea".
Another source said that, "A large-scale group of around 10,000 came in the development areas", and "Recently many harmful events have happened and this would be the government's purpose to establish the base of controlling North Koreans before the Shinuiju development launches".
‘Drug trafficking incidence’ is that recently 2 women who lived in Uiju of North Pyongan province and concealed a large amount of dollars earned by drug, counterfeit dollars and scrap iron smuggling were arrested. It was known that the two women were assured to be executed to death, and now only the decision about whether they would be openly or in a chamber executed remained. Besides that, late March 3 Chinese-North Koreans living in North Korea were caught in the process of carrying thousands of drugs called ‘Yautouwan’ to China by a ship. ‘Yautouwan’ is similar to hallucinogenic agents like ‘Extacy’ and “Doridori’ called psychotropic drugs in South Korea.
‘Anti-government statement’ is that a youth who lived in Shinuiju and criticized the North Korean government was taken to a prison. The reason was that he, who had an experience in defecting, compared China that was being developed by reformation and liberalization with North Korea that was closed. At the time when he tried to defect, he was known to participate in a church a few times. Because of it, this incidence was mistakenly informed as an ‘incidence of underground Christians in North Korea’. Also, early April, a North Korean living in Yongcheon district was caught on the spot in the process of being on the phone with a relative in South Korea.
A Defector who Worked at the National Security Agency Said “the Censor Group is Likely to Include Graduates of the Political Universities”
According to the sources, because the signs that showed slack social control appeared like this, a large scale of a comprehensive censor group was dispatched.
Usually, North Korean groups are arranged for the particular purpose such as drugs and begging clack-downs. However, in the case of comprehensive problems proposed, a ‘comprehensive group is arranged as well. This times, a group is very likely to contain graduates of the National Security Agency Political University (a disguised name ‘Pyongyang Technical University’ located at Pyongyang Mangyungdae district) and Political University of the Ministry of the People’s Security (located at Pyongyang Hyoungjesan district)
Mr. Lee who worked at the National Security Agency explained “In general late March graduates of Political University are dispatched to each local city as interns before they are appointed to their work places”.
According to Mr. Lee, during a training period graduates of Political University come to each department of the National Security Agency and work in a cooperation with the officials of the Agency. The training period of graduates of Political University is usually 6 months and “They frantically disclose incidences in order to be appointed to a good workplace, because the disclosures are the evidence of their ability and quality “.
The source said about the crack-down in the development cities around Shinuiju and the Yalu River, “The first purpose seams catching drug traffickers or smugglings and cellular phone users”, adding, “Given that the internal trend of North Korea and the scale of the group, it is not likely to be a short-term censor”.