Overseas traders express disappointment at North Korea’s failure to “protect” Mun Chol Myong
In the wake of Malaysia’s extradition to the United States of a North Korean trader suspected of illegal money laundering, relations between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur have hit rock bottom. As a result, North Korea has announced that they are severing diplomatic ties between the two countries. Additionally, North Korean authorities reportedly ordered that monitoring be stepped up on workers living overseas.
A source in China told Daily NK on Monday that the North Korean authorities issued a directive on Sunday to their embassies or consulates in China and other countries to strengthen their systems of monitoring and reporting on overseas workers.
Pyongyang’s embassies and consulates previously held once-a-week meetings with trade company managers, but it appears that the meetings will occur twice a week going forward. The traders will also frequently be required to report on the movements of individuals and on any “unusual trends” to the embassies and consulates.
Because North Korean diplomatic personnel have withdrawn from Malaysia, North Korean traders in the country will have expanded duties and authority over monitoring their workers in the country, and systems to monitor each other and report on unusual activities will be strengthened, according to the source. ......
[Source: Daily NK]
