North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a local industrial plant in Seongcheon-gun, South Pyongan Province on the 28th of last month, opened the first shovel and pressed the blast button to announce the start of construction, attracting considerable attention even in North Korea. However, local sources reported that as theft by soldiers of the 124th Regiment increased rapidly from the beginning of the construction of local industrial factories, the purpose and meaning of the ‘Local Development 20×10 Policy’ to improve people’s lives was at risk of fading.
According to the NK Times Yanggang Province source on the 20th, the 124th Regiment of the 380th Military Unit of the North Korean Army was dispatched to the construction of a local industrial factory in Kim Hyeong-jik County.
This unit was organized in mid-February with military officers drawn from the divisions and brigades of the 380th Military Unit stationed in Ryanggang Province, and was dispatched to the construction site of Kim Hyeong-jik’s factory in early March. In other words, the 124th Regiment of the 380th Military Unit has been active in the area since the past 10 days when the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a local industrial factory was held in Kim Hyeongjik County.
However, because this unit is a new unit, it is said that the command and command system itself, not to mention discipline within the unit, has not been properly established. In particular, it is reported that even before the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a local industrial factory, a series of theft incidents occurred in the area, causing considerable inconvenience to residents.
In fact, between the 8th and 16th, about 20 thefts and robberies occurred in Kim Hyeong-jik-gun and other villages in the county by soldiers mobilized to build local industrial factories.
It was reported that soldiers broke into village villages in groups and stole pigs and goats, and in particular, in Woltan Workers’ District, there was an incident where home appliances were stolen by assailants carrying knives and clubs.
Because of this situation, the 380th Military Unit and the Kim Hyeong-jik County Safety Department are increasing the number of patrol officers from police officers and discharged soldiers to strictly crack down on the day and night movement of soldiers, but it is said that various accidents, including theft, are continuing.
The source pointed out that the original purpose and meaning of the ‘Local Development 20×10 Policy’ to improve people’s lives is becoming blurred as theft by soldiers from the 124th Regiment, who were deployed to build local industrial factories in Kim Hyeong-jik County, is rapidly increasing.
A related source said, “As thefts have become more frequent since the deployment of the 124th Regiment, many residents say they are not sure whether the soldiers came to build factories or to steal.” “From the residents’ perspective, they cannot help but feel skeptical about the ‘20×10 local development policy,’” he said.
He said, “The authorities who cannot satisfy their small stomachs are entirely responsible for the fact that soldiers who set out to carry out the party’s orders turn to theft.” He added, “Young soldiers who are tired from a day’s work are already starting to steal and rob to satisfy their hunger. “Residents are increasingly concerned about how much more damage will occur in the future,” he added.
Meanwhile, on the 5th, RFA Free Asia reported that North Korea’s 124th Regiment is an emergency unit formed from each corps in accordance with General Secretary Kim Jong-un’s local modernization instructions on February 8.
***This article was translated by Google and may differ from the content of this publication.
