N. Korea update

N. Korean soldiers

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5-25-18    Citing a high-level source in Pyongyang, South Korean news site Daily NK revealed on May 23 that during a meeting of national security officials last month, Chagang Province, noted for its rugged terrain, was designated a “special military-first revolutionary zone.”

“Although nuclear weapons can be hidden anywhere if they are interested, it seems that the authorities seemed to consider the place where it is difficult to grasp by satellites,” the source said, as they could go undetected in the deep mountains. “Hiding the nuclear weapons and material there also means the authorities plan to store them in a highly contained facility.”

The source added that the mountains of Chagang also contain underground tunnels for Kim, his family, and his top aides’ exclusive use should they need to escape across the border to China. This news first emerged in 2015. The tunnels are several hundred meters below the surface, though few know the exact locations of them due to the secrecy under which they were built, an inside source in North Korea told Daily NK in December 2015.   

“When the workers were transported to the tunnel locations to excavate, the windows were blacked out so they had no clue where they were going. When they emerged to do their work, they were blindfolded until they got to the construction site,” according to Daily NK.

The most recent Daily NK report noted that checkpoints have already been set up in Chagang Province to restrict the people and vehicles going through. The regime is also planning more ideological indoctrination for the residents there in order to ensure secrets about the region are protected.   https://www.theepochtimes.com/north-korea-may-be-hiding-nuclear-weapons-south-korean-media-says_2538692.html

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3-8-17    North Korea has also been able to get around the imposed international restrictions by using companies in friendly countries like China to act as illicit fronts.

Last month the United Nations accused North Korea of “flouting sanctions through trade in prohibited goods, with evasion techniques that are increasing in scale, scope and sophistication."   To more effectively crack down on North Korea’s illicit financial dealings, the United States would likely have to target more Chinese companies that do business with North Korea

On Wednesday a Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp. agreed to plead guilty and pay nearly $900 million in a U.S. sanctions case, for dodging export controls in Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan and Cuba.      https://www.voanews.com/a/military-options-against-north-korea-fraught-with-danger/3754940.html