Ministry of Social Security (North Korea)

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Ministry of Social Security
Emblem of the Ministry of Public Security
Emblem of the Ministry of Public Security
Badge worn by guards in Pyongyang
Badge worn by guards in Pyongyang
Operational structure
HeadquartersPyongyang, North Korea
Minister responsible
Parent agencyState Affairs Commission
Child agencies
  • Financial Intelligence Agency
Politics of North Korea
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Constitution
Workers' Party
Congress (8th)
Supreme People's Assembly
14th term
Elections
Administrative divisions
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The Ministry of Social Security is a law enforcement agency in North Korea.[1]

Unlike most ministers in North Korea, which operate under the Cabinet, the Ministry of Public Security is directly supervised by the State Affairs Commission.[2] The current minister is Ri Yong-gil.

According to Fyodor Tertitskiy, columnist at NK News, prospective officers are chosen by recommendation by a local WPK Committee, although some are chosen because of their songbun status. He further contends that bribery represents a regular aspect of interactions between North Koreans and the police.[3]

History[]

The ministry was first created as the Political Security Bureau (Korean: 정치보안국) on November 19, 1945.[4] The bureau became a subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in September 1948.[5] The bureau became a separate ministry known as the Ministry of Social Security (Korean: 사회안전성) in May 1951.[4] However, the ministry was later merged back with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 1952.[5]

The Ministry of Social Security was re-established in October 1962 after splitting from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.[5] It became the Social Security Department (Korean: 사회안전부) in December 1972.[4] The department was a subordinate to the Administration Council. In April 1982, the department was split from the Administration Council [6] but was later returned to its control in December 1986.

The department was renamed back to the Ministry of Social Security in September 1998 and became subordinate to the Cabinet.[4][5] In April 2000, the name of the ministry was changed to Ministry of People's Security (Korean: 인민보안성).[4] In April 2010, the ministry became the People's Security Department (Korean: 인민보안부) and was transferred to the control of the National Defence Commission.[4]

In 2016, the department was renamed back to the Ministry of People's Security and became subordinate to the State Affairs Commission.[4]

In May 2020, it was changed back to the Ministry of Social Security.[7]

Duties[]

Beyond policing, its services include operating the prison system in North Korea which is part of the Corrections Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, monitoring the public distribution system and providing bodyguards to important persons.[8]

The Ministry of Social Security gathers information from local informers in social units about irregular acts. If a case is believed to be of a political nature, it is instead handed over to the Ministry of State Security for investigation.[8]

Structure[]

Korean People's Internal Security Forces[]

The Korean People's Internal Security Forces (Korean: 조선인민내무군) formerly known as People's Guards Forces (Korean: 조선인민경비대)[9] is subordinated to the ministry[10] is in charge of security for major national facilities such as military demarcation lines, borders, and coastal security, as well as government buildings, Yongbyon nuclear facilities, power plants, and broadcasting facilities. In the 1980s, the work of the People's Guards was transferred to the National Security Agency, and the border guard was believed to have passed to the People's Armed Forces Ministry in October 1996. In 2010, the name was changed to its current name.

Equipment[]

  • Paektusan Pistol- 9×19mm, North Korean (DPRK) locally made copy of the CZ-75 pistol.
  • Type 68 Pistol- 7.62×25mm, North Korean copy of the TT-33 Pistol.
  • Type 70 Pistol- .32 ACP, North Korean indigenous pistol that is considered to be a copy of the Makarov PM and Walther PPK. Used by K-9 officers in some cases and for standard patrolman and patrolwomen.
  • Type 58 assault rifle and Type 68 assault rifle- 7.62×39mm, North Korean (DPRK) locally made version of the AK-47 and AKM. Used by Ministry of Social Security Corrections Bureau guards.
  • - 5.45×39mm, North Korean (DPRK) copy of the AK-74 assault rifle.
  • Type 73 light machine gun- 7.62×54mmR, North Korean (DPRK) locally made light machine gun that takes usually a magazine which is on the top of the gun similar to a Bren Gun in appearance with aspects of the PK machine gun and the ZB vz.26.
  • RPG-7

Ministers of Interior[]

  • Pak Il-u (박일우) (2.9.1948)
  • Pang Hak Se (방학세) (1952–1960)
  • Pak Mun-gyu (박문규) (23.10.1960–22.10-1962 and 23.10.1962)
  • Pak Song-chol (박성철) (1.12.1967)

Ranks[]

Rank Insignia
General General rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Colonel General Colonel General rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Lieutenant General Lieutenant General rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Major General Major General rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Senior Colonel Senior Colonel rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Colonel Colonel rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Major Major rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Captain Captain rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Senior Lieutenant Senior Lieutenant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Lieutenant Lieutenant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Junior Lieutenant Junior Lieutenant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
First Sergeant First Sergeant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Senior Sergeant Senior Sergeant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Sergeant Sergeant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Junior Sergeant Junior Sergeant rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Corporal Corporal rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Lance Corporal Lance Corporal rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Senior Private Senior Private rank insignia (North Korean police).png
Private Private rank insignia (North Korean police).png

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "North Korea", accessed August 29, 2014.
  2. ^ "Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership" (PDF). Seoul: Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification. January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Daily duty: Inside North Korea's regular police force | NK News – North Korea News". 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2019-08-24.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "인민보안성". Ministry of Unification. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d "인민보안부". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  6. ^ "국가안전보위부 & 기타기관". KBS WORLD Radio. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  7. ^ "North Korea likely renames Ministry of People's Security | NK News". 3 June 2020.
  8. ^ a b Schwekendiek, Daniel (19 April 2011). A Socioeconomic History of North Korea. McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7864-8541-3.
  9. ^ 조선인민경비대(朝鮮人民警備隊)
  10. ^ North Korean government courier attacked by soldiers

Coordinates: 39°4′49″N 125°46′3″E / 39.08028°N 125.76750°E / 39.08028; 125.76750

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