Some North Korean trade officials in China have recently been replaced amid increased monitoring of their mobile phones, including the use of VPNs, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a Daily NK source in China said on Jan. 4 that several North Korean trade officials flew to China last month, while many trade officials who were stuck in China after North Korea sealed its border due to COVID-19 returned home.
Air Koryo passenger flights flew between North Korea and China on Dec. 12, 19, 26, and 30. The four flights brought new trade officials to China and returned trade officials who were in China back home.
Some trade officials returned home by bus from Dandong, China, to Sinuiju, North Korea. Pyongyang appears to have carried out a rapid rotation of its trade officials in China.
With the personnel rotation, North Korean consulates in China have intensified their inspections, surveillance, and crackdowns directed at trade officials.
“North Korean consulates have been conducting mobile phone inspections since last month, checking recent phone calls and text messages,” the source said.
Many trade officials have responded to the inspections by changing their phone numbers or deleting and reinstalling their messaging apps.
In particular, North Korean consulates have been cracking down on proxy applications such as VPNs, which allow mobile phone users to access foreign websites.