What are North Korea’s Instructions to Spies? North Korea-instructed Slogans Appear in Demonstrations in South Korea

2023-3-20, Tara O

Various spy rings have been uncovered in South Korea, including those in the Changwon, Chungju, Jeju, and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) (aka Minju NoChong).  See here and here  for details.

North Korea, through the Cultural Exchange Brureau, gave them orders, many of which were carried out.  The First orders were  to organize underground organizations and recruit members.  These organizations then implemented activities that reflect the instructions from North Korea, many of them specific, including precisely worded slogans at demonstrations.

The Cultural Exchange Bureau is an intelligence organization of the Korean Workers’ Party that conducts anti-South Korea operations.

Anti-U.S., anti-Japan, anti-National Security

Documents obtained by the authorities from searching the KCTU offices and residences of related suspects show that in February 2021, North Korea instructed them to “carry out slogans such as dismantling the South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance (cooperation) and aggressively wage an anti-U.S. struggle” and “Slogans for the struggle to withdraw U.S. Forces Korea will expand to a wide regional scope.”  In May 2021, North Korea also ordered, “continue to wage various anti-U.S. struggles.”

North Korea also ordered the group Tong-il SunBongDae  (통일선봉대) (Unification Vanguard) under KCTU’s Unification Committee (통일위원회), to conduct anti-U.S. struggles.  During an August 15, 2022 demonstration and regional rallies leading up to it, Tong-il SunBongDae conducted numerous anti-U.S. demonstrations throughout South Korea, holding slogans, such as “Dissolve the South Korea-U.S. alliance.”

Another organization, the Chungbuk Comrades Association for Independent Unification [Jaju Tongil Chungbuk Dongjihoi (자주통일 충북동지회)] also referred to as the Chungju Spy Ring, also carried out North Korean orders to engage in anti-U.S. activities by conducting “anti-F-35 import” demonstrations.

For other anti-U.S. and anti-alliance demonstrations by KCTU, see here.

As part of Kim Il-sung’s GatGeun Tactics (Hat String Tactics) of severing ROK (Republic of Korea)-U.S. relations and the alliance by attacking ROK-Japan relations, North Korea conducts anti-Japan activities to stoke anti-Japan sentiment in South Korea to weaken ROK-Japan relations.  As ROK-U.S.-Japan cooperation was promoted in May 2021, North Korea ordered to “argue that discharge of (radioactive) contaminated water from Japan would bring a catastrophe to the Korean peninsula and to circulate gossips about (radioactive) monsters on the internet, such as the “appearance of monster fish.”

Anti-Republic of Korea (ROK), a liberal democracy and market economy

The members of the Jaju Tongil Minjung Jeonwi (자주통일 민중전위) (People’s Front for Independent Unification), abbreviated as JaTong (자통), are also under investigation.  North Korea, through the Cultural Exchange Bureau, ordered People’s Front to “Blame the South Korean government and foment division of public opinion.”  [Note: Jeonwi can be translated as “front” or “vanguard” and jaju can be translated as “independent” or “self-reliant. The meaning of the word jaju is different for North Korea, which uses the term to mean no U.S.]

North Korea also instructed People’s Front, “In accordance with its ‘Revolutionary Strategy for the South (대남혁명전략)’…wage anti-U.S. and anti-state struggles and public opinion battles and expand mass struggles demanding the removal of the regime through candlelight vigils and press conferences featuring the organizations of workers, farmers, and students.”

After the May 2022 ROK-U.S. summit, North Korea also instructed People’s Front to call it “committing pro-U.S. begging” activities.  North Korea noted, “While begging for cooperation in pressuring North Korea, he (President Yoon) showed his determination to confront North Korea,” and ordered People’s Front to “struggle to suspend ROK-U.S. military exercises in conjunction with civic groups and fight through candlelight vigils.”  People’s Front followed up by distributing cards calling the summit a “foreign policy disaster.”

The Cultural Exchange Bureau also targeted the South Korean economy as well as the government by calling for a general strike in South Korea through the KCTU.  In June 2022, North Korea issued an order to People’s Front to have “KCTU lead the overall anti-government struggle by vigorously carrying out large-scale intensive struggles during July, such as collective general strikes, workers’ resolution congresses, and sectoral strikes.”  In fact, there were numerous strikes, including the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Strike. 

During the strike by Cargo Solidarity (화물연대) in 2022, the Korean Workers’ Party instructed “all patriotic unification forces form a solidarity to provoke public outrage.”  By “unification forces,” North Korea means those who support unified Korea under its rule, which is why it also describes the “unification force” as “patriotic” (to North Korea).  The Cargo Solidarity is under the Korean Federation of Public & Social Services and Transportation Workers’ Union (전국공공운수사회서비스노조), which is a member of KCTU. 

Anti-Yoon Suk-yeol

North Korea also sent slogans to spy suspects in the KCTU to be used during the demonstrations after the deaths on Halloween night in Itaewon in October 2022, which were actually used:  “the Citizens are Dying” (“국민이 죽어간다”), (President Yoon Suk-yeol) “Stepping Down is Condolences” (“퇴진이 추모다”),” “Is This a (normal) Country?”

In April 2021, when Yoon Suk-yeol’s presidential candidacy (North Korea termed it “grand aspiration”) was raised, North Korea also instructed People’s Front for Independent Unification (JaTong) to “launch a public opinion battle that the revival of the conservative government will lead to a second Roh Moo-hyun tragedy.”  Prior to the last presidential elections, North Korea also instructed the People’s Front’s sockpuppet team (that posts online comments) to “impersonate ultra-conservative groups, including the “Taegukki (ROK flag) army” and disseminate creepy a rumor that “the Grand absurdity (Yoon Suk-yeol’s run for presidency) is a ploy by the ruling party (then the Democratic Party of Korea) to increase turmoil among the conservatives.” 

(Note: A massive number of Korean citizens who rallied weekly with South Korean and U.S. flags for years since late 2016 to oppose the impeachment of then-president Park Geun-hye and to support the strong ROK-U.S. alliance, and later expanded to other causes, such as opposing Cho Kuk’s corruption scandal, are not “ultra” or “extreme.”  They support freedom, rule of law, strong ROK-U.S. alliance, fair and free elections, separation of powers, market economy, etc.)

When President Yun’s approval rating fell in November 2022, North Korea ordered People’s Front to launch a struggle to demand his resignation.  The members of People’s Front implemented the orders by participating in anti-U.S., anti-government demonstrations.  Numerous anti-Yoon demonstrations did follow.

After People’s Front reported to North Korea in October 2022 that Yoon’s poll had fallen, North Korea responded, “as the atmosphere of distrust and ostracism against Yoon Seok-yeol’s traitorous clique is increasing, aim to raise a second major people’s candlelight protest demanding Yoon Seok-yeol’s ouster.” [Note:  North Korea denotes this is the “second” candlelight protest to demand an ouster of a sitting president. The “first” candlelight protest demanded the ouster of a sitting president at the time Park Geun-hye, and it succeeded.] 

North Korea’s additional instructions included “organize groups to travel (to Seoul to join the major candlelight demonstrations) after regional candlelight vigils” and “introduce the farmers’ struggle for rice price stabilization,” yet another theme to promote farmers’ participation and to add another justification for the candlelight demonstrations.

Anti-conservative (pro-ROK as a liberal democracy and market economy)

North Korea has even issued orders to counter conservative YouTube channels by infiltrating as well as posing as conservative YouTube followers, and posting comments that elicit public criticism.

Anti-investigation

North Korea gave instructions on how to respond to the South Korean authorities who investigate the spy cases.  North Korea instructed groups to provoke public outrage by calling the investigation by South Korea’s counterintelligence authorities “public security repression,” which distracts from the essence of the case, which is spying for North Korea.  Indeed, they have used narratives  like “suppression of labor unions” and “a public security case fabricated by the NIS” for investigating the spy suspects for their activities that should be investigated:  meetings with the agents of North Korea’s intelligence apparatus, the Cultural Exchange Bureau (formerly Office 225), which has a specific mission of conducting anti-South Korea operations, and receiving spycraft training and instructions, pledging allegiance to North Korea, and joining the Korean Workers’ Party based in Pyongyang, to name a few.

Loyal to the Kim Family Regime in North Korea

During the search and seizure of KCTU offices, People’s Front, and other related places, the authorities also seized documents on members’ loyalty to North Korea and the Kim regime. 

The suspects at KCTU wrote oaths pledging allegiance to North Korea, praising Kim Il-sung’s Juche ideology and Kim Jong-un’s leadership.  These oaths were written around specific North Korean holidays, such as Kim Jong-il’s birthday (February 16) and the founding day of the Workers’ Party of Korea (October 10).

People’s Front also pledged allegiance to the Kim family regime in North Korea.  In its covenant, it states, “We hold Marshal Kim Jong-un, who inherited the ideas of the great (Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il) Grand Marshals and the cause of the Juche revolution, as the leader of our revolution, and unconditionally and absolutely abide by the sole leadership of the Marshal.

Its creeds include:

• “Overthrow the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces and its subordinate pro-U.S. ruling group, and establish an independent (jaju) democratic (minju) government by uniting the expansive minjok and jaju (independent) capabilities under the leadership of the workers and masses (minjung).” (Note:  The dictionary defines “minjok” as nation or people. When Koreans use the term in the context of Korea, it means ethnic Koreans.  When North Korea uses the term “minjok,” it has a specific meaning that does not mean all Koreans. To the North Korean regime and its supporters, it means those who adhere to Juche ideology and the Kim family regime’s rule, in effect, a “Kim Il-sung tribe.”)
• Thoroughly liquidate the remnants of US imperialism and pro-US flunkyistic tendencies in all areas of society, including politics, military, economy, and culture, and realize complete minjok independence (or self-reliance) (jaju)
• Establish a federated (yeonbang, 연방) unified state (federation) based on the principles of independence / self-reliance (jaju), peace, and great minjok unity to complete the task of unifying the motherland, which is the pursuit of the minjok.

(Note:  Unification by federation based on jaju, peace, and great minjok unity is North Korea’s publicly stated goal.  It is important to note that the terms jaju, peace, and minjok are part of North Korea’s Terminology Confusion Tactics to confuse the unsuspecting public.  North Kim regime means no U.S. military in Korea and no South Korea-U.S. alliance when it uses the term “jaju.” For details, see “North Korea’s Plan for Unification by Federation:  What It Really Means,” in the International Journal of Korean Studies Spring/Sumer 2022 found here.)

North Korea’s goal of Unified Korea under its rule

North Korea has conducted subversive activities against South Korea for decades in order to unify Korea under the Kim regime.  Dr. Yoo Dong-ryul of Korea Institute of Liberal Democracy explains that since the times of Kim Il-sung, North Korea has issued guidelines to “strengthen the capacity of the revolution in South Korea” and “North Korea has continued to send espionage agents to South Korea to support pro-North Korea and left-wing forces carrying out various operations, or inciting chaos in politics, economy, and society of South Korea.”