Reclusive North Korea is increasing its border security, with the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, ordering barbed-wire fences to be installed following reports of defection of two families, totaling eight individuals.
Authorities have started a massive investigation into the defections, though the escapees have yet to be found. The North Korean border garrison was reportedly "thrown into chaos" after the escape was discovered. Kim has called for immediate action, and the escapes are being considered "political incidents," The International Business Times reported.
"At the beginning of last month, not even one month after Kim Jong Un had handed down a mandate to ensure not even the most minor of incidents occur during the 100-day run-up to the 70th anniversary of the Party's foundation, two families or eight people in total escaped the country causing mad panic among the local border patrol force," a source from North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK while giving details of the incident.
The North Korea military said that the families may have South Korean accomplices on the other side of the border and that they already may be en route to South Korea. "The defections indicate there is no hope for the future under Kim Jong Un," a source said, according to UPI.
"The day after the escape, the leader ordered forces to seal off Musan's entire border area running along the Tumen River with barbed wire, sparking up tension in the region," the source further explained. "Through the customs office, the Musan security unit asked China's police force to launch a search, but they haven't been apprehended yet."
"In order to put up the fence, border agents need to wrap up their summer training currently underway and start putting up the fence in areas other than those that are already sealed off for being popular escape routes. The order is from the leader, so it's likely that all state-run factories under the military will be mobilized to provide everything from cement, steel, and barbed wire," the source said, according to Daily NK.
Kim plans on building more walls in September in order to keep North Koreans from leaving the country.
