Image source, Jungmin Choi / BBC Korean Image caption, Broker Hwang Ji-sung defected to the South in 2009 By Jungmin Choi BBC Korean Every year, hundreds of North Korean defectors, who have because settled in the South, sendout much-needed cash back home. But this is getting riskier as both nations are significantly splitting down on prohibited transfers of cash. “It is like a spy motionpicture and individuals are putting their lives on the line,” states Hwang Ji-sung, who hasactually been a broker in South Korea for more than a years. As a defector himself, he understands how complex and hard the job is – needing a concealed network of brokers and carriers spread throughout South Korea, China and North Korea. Secret calls utilizing smuggled Chinese phones are made at remote places. Code names are utilized. The stakes are exceptionally high – if captured, North Koreans threat being sentout to the nation’s feared political jail camps, understood as kwan-li-so, where hundreds of thousands are thought to have passedaway over the years. A 2023 study by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights which surveyed about 400 North Korean defectors, discovered that around 63% had moved cash to their households in the North. But giventhat 2020, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hasactually heightened a crackdown on brokers to stop the circulation of cash and “reactionary ideology and culture” from South Korea. Image source, Jungmin Choi / BBC Image caption, The couple hasactually been in the cash transfer organization for over a years “The number of brokers in North Korea hasactually gone down by more than 70% compared to a coupleof years ago,” states Joo Soo-yeon, Mr Hwang’s spouse. She is likewise a broker. South Korea prohibits such transfers too, however in the past authorities have primarily looked the other method. Now that is altering. Last April, Mr Hwang and Ms Joo’s home in Gyeonggi province – which is close to Seoul – was robbed by 4 authorities officers, who implicated her of breaching the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act. Because the bank account that was utilized to sendout cash to North Korea was in her name, she’s the one dealingwith charges. At least 7 other brokers are likewise under examination. On-camera interviews with brokers are uncommon, however Ms Joo hasactually picked to speak to the BBC partially because she desires to publicise her case. The cops have not reacted to a BBC query over her case. South Korean authorities informed Mr Hwang that any cash transfer to North Korea must be brought out through a “legitimate bank”. “If there is one, let me understand!” he stated, including that there is no organization that can lawfully get cash in North Korea giventhat the 2 Koreas are technically still at war. Inter-Korean relations haveactually been gettingworse consideringthat the North blew up a joint intermediary workplace with the South in2020 Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un even stated it was no longer possible to attain
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