Secret calls and code names: The risky business of sending money to N Korea
Sending money to North Korea involves a complex and risky process due to strict regulations and surveillance.
Defectors from North Korea living in South Korea often initiate these transfers to support their families in the North. The process typically starts with a secret phone call, facilitated by brokers in North Korea, to agree on the amount of money to be sent. These calls are made using smuggled Chinese phones in border provinces, which can access Chinese telecom networks.
The actual transfer of money is executed through a network of brokers. The defector deposits money into a Chinese account, which is then brought into North Korea by Chinese brokers. These transactions are often disguised as business deals between Chinese and North Korean trading companies, due to the close relationship between the two nations. Within North Korea, multiple couriers, who do not know each other for security reasons, deliver the money to the families.
This operation is fraught with danger. Both North Korean and Chinese authorities closely monitor these activities, and there are severe penalties for those caught, including long prison sentences or worse. Despite the risks, these remittances are crucial for many families in North Korea, providing a vital source of income.
The South Korean government has recently begun cracking down on these activities, complicating the process further. This crackdown has raised concerns among the defector community, as these remittances are often the only means to ensure the survival of their families in the North. The situation is made more challenging with the increasing difficulty in making contact with families in North Korea due to the crackdown on the use of illegal Chinese mobile phones by North Korean authorities [❞] [❞] [❞].
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