Kim Jong-un, the dictator of North Korea, is pushing citizens who are residing or traveling to areas near the borders of China to sign an oath saying they will not try to get away as part of an increased effort to enforce the rule on internal defection and dissent.
North Koreans have already been required to secure special permits in order to travel within the country. Now, people who wanted to travel near the borders of China will have to face a stricter policy before they can travel in the border areas if they have business to attend to or family events such as weddings or funerals, at present over 25 million residents of North Korea already need the special domestic travel permits, as reported by the Radio Free Asia's Korean Services.
In a statement by a North Hamgyong province resident, since the early days of the month, people who acquired travel certificates in order to go to areas near the borders of China were required to submit a document with their fingerprint on it saying they will never leave North Korea, The New York Post reported.
As articulated by the resident, back then, citizens were allowed to verbally proclaim that they have no intentions to leave the country, and obtain inter-provincial travel passes by only presenting a citizenship certificate and a character reference. And added that stamping of fingers to obtain travel certificates is not the problem, but having to process a number of added confirmation documents was unpleasant, and people traveling to boarders areas suffer being treated as potential defectors.
The new regulation came out after the hermit kingdom executed a government campaign with a goal of dishonoring exiles of North Korea after several groups situated at South Korea floated propaganda leaflets against the Pyongyang across the borders using balloons.
According to several reports, some residents failed to attend several important family events since they were not able to prepare the needed documents in advance.
One source stated that people living near the border areas have always been treated as having the capacity to escape the country.
A resident of Ryanggang province, located on the Chinese border, told the RFA they had to pass across checkpoints with ID cards being presented and up to five certifications with a written oath.
Meanwhile, people who are related to those who ran away from the country while moving to the border area were subject to punishment, which included internal exile.
Thirty families from Pyongyang earlier this month were deported to rural areas after people related to them who work overseas have been missing.
According to Express Mail , as reported by the North's KCNA state news agency, this happened as strict quarantine measures due to the spread of coronavirus and district screenings, and also medical equipment and protective clothing were being supplied.
The strict regulation came after Kim Jong-un proclaimed an emergency on Sunday after a person who escaped South Korea three years ago came back across the country's highly fortified demilitarized zone (DMZ) to Kaesong this month showing symptoms of the new coronavirus.
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