Surveillance Extends to Children... North Korea Fully Strengthens Surveillance System
Next Generation After Jangmadang Generation Experiences 'Ideological Separation'
Experts Say "Increased Need to Control New Generation's Behavior Patterns"
North Korean authorities are believed to have installed CCTV cameras in classrooms where young students in Pyongyang live. It is assessed that they are strengthening a comprehensive surveillance system targeting the 'upcoming youth generation,' who have frequently been exposed to external information following the 'Jangmadang generation,' which experienced ideological relaxation through capitalism. This reveals the rigid North Korean society while drawing criticism that the authorities are carrying out inhumane measures without hesitation at the state level.
Surveillance even on young children... CCTV in every classroom
In a promotional video of Songka Senior Middle School aired by Chosun Central TV on the 21st, an internal classroom CCTV was captured. Photo by Yonhap News
In a promotional video of Songka High School broadcasted by Chosun Central TV on the 21st, an internal classroom CCTV was captured. Photo by Yonhap News
North Korean media such as the Korean Central News Agency and Korean Central TV aired a propaganda video on the 21st introducing the newly built Songga Senior Middle School in Kangdong County, Pyongyang. Senior Middle School corresponds to high school in South Korea.
At that time, North Korean media introduced the school as having educational facilities, a gymnasium, and dormitories, promoting that "all conditions and environments to realize practical use, integration, and modernization at a high level are in place." The problem is that scenes showing CCTV installed on one side of each classroom were captured in the video. CCTV was installed not only in special classrooms such as music rooms with expensive equipment but also in regular classrooms.
It has not been confirmed whether such classroom CCTV has spread throughout North Korean schools, but it is assessed that the surveillance system is being comprehensively strengthened. This itself reveals the regime’s problem of needing to thoroughly control residents, while criticism arises that the authorities are carrying out inhumane measures at the state level. In a normal country, such CCTV installation could lead to human rights and privacy infringement issues.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, evaluated, "In North Korea, the rigid educational culture itself is a form of surveillance, so installing physical equipment can be seen as a significant change."
The Jangmadang generation, economically separated, now ideologically separated
The generation born after the 1980s who experienced the 'Arduous March' period is called the so-called 'Jangmadang generation.' This generation grew up experiencing spontaneous capitalism called Jangmadang due to the collapse of the rationing system. Because of this, their loyalty to the Party and the leader is low, and individualism that values personal life over groups or organizations has emerged. The North Korean classroom CCTV is monitoring the 'new generation' following the Jangmadang generation.
Senior researcher Hong said, "Students born after the 2000s are familiar with external ideologies and have a lot of curiosity, so there may be conflicting elements in North Korean politics and culture," adding, "It seems to mean that there is a need to control or strengthen surveillance over the behavior patterns of the new generation."
Lee Young-hwan, former head of the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), also pointed out the need to focus on the generation after the Jangmadang generation. He evaluated, "If the Jangmadang generation was economically separated from the authorities through experiencing capitalism, today's teenagers have firmly separated ideologically and culturally as well."
'Surveillance cameras' spread... Strengthening surveillance rather than security
As surveillance cameras rapidly spread inside North Korea, there is analysis that residents find it difficult to evade the authorities' surveillance network. In North Korea, even neighbors have informants (spies) planted by the State Security Department to monitor and report on each other, and now physical surveillance equipment has been added.
The U.S. Radio Free Asia (RFA) cited a study by the U.S. Stimson Center, which analyzed 100 defectors and North Korean state media videos in April this year, reporting that "surveillance cameras are spreading in North Korea as a means to strengthen security and prevent theft," and that "they are noticeable not only in schools at all levels in Pyongyang but also in major cities."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
