Ministry of Social Security (North Korea): Difference between revisions

| nativename = 조선민주주의인민공화국 사회안전성<br>

| formed = {{Start date and years ago|1945|11|19}}

| flag = Flag of the Ministry of Social Security (North Korea).svg

| flagcaption = Flag used by the Ministry of People's Security

}}{{Politics of North Korea|expanded=Related topics }}

The '''Ministry of Social Security''' commonly known as '''''BoAn''''' ({{lang-ko|보안}}; [[Hanja]]: 保安) or the '''Ministry of PeoplesPeople's Security''' is athe [[Ministry of home affairs|interior ministry]] and principal [[law enforcement agency]] inwithin [[North Korea]].<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322222/North-Korea/280873/Local-government North Korea]", accessed August 29, 2014.</ref> The ministry serves as the official public and internal security force, responsibile for maintaining public order and protecting key facilities including railways and other forms of transport. It also maintains a large paramilitary internal force, known as the [[Social Security Forces]].

Unlike most ministries in North Korea, which operate under the [[Cabinet of North Korea|Cabinet]], the Ministry of Social Security is directly supervised by the [[State Affairs Commission]], though in the past it has been subordinate to other national bodies.<ref name=unikorea>{{Cite web|title=Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership|location=Seoul|publisher=Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification |date=January 2018|access-date=17 October 2018|url=https://www.unikorea.go.kr/cms/getFile.do?file=2018012913454378143.pdf&orgname=north_korean_Leadership.pdf&mgmtId=MGMT_0000000754&siteId=SITE_00003&filePath=eng_unikorea/common/file/&count=Y#.pdf}}</ref> The current minister is [[Ri Yong-gil]]. According to Fyodor Tertitskiy, columnist at ''[[NK News]]'', prospective officers are chosen by recommendation by a local [[Workers' Party of Korea|Korean Workers Party]] (WPK) Committee, although some are chosen because of their [[songbun]] status.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nknews.org/2016/08/daily-duty-inside-north-koreas-regular-police-force/|title=Daily duty: Inside North Korea's regular police force {{!}} NK News – North Korea News|date=2016-08-10|access-date=2019-08-24}}</ref>

The ministry was first created as the '''Political Security Bureau''' (Korean: 정치보안국) on November 19, 1945.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=인민보안성|url=https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/term/viewNkKnwldgDicary.do?pageIndex=1&dicaryId=273|access-date=5 June 2020|website=Ministry of Unification}}</ref> The bureau became a subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in September 1948.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=인민보안부|url=http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0070135|access-date=5 May 2020|website=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]}}</ref> The bureau became a separate ministry known as the '''Ministry of Social Security''' (Korean: 사회안전성) in May 1951.<ref name=":1" /> However, the ministry was later merged back with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 1952.<ref name=":2" />

The department was renamed back to the Ministry of Social Security in September 1998 and became subordinate to the [[Cabinet of North Korea|Cabinet]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> In April 2000, the name of the ministry was changed to '''Ministry of People's Security''' (Korean: 인민보안성).<ref name=":1" /> In April 2010, the ministry became the '''People's Security Department''' (Korean: 인민보안부) and was transferred to the control of the [[National Defence Commission]].<ref name=":1" /> In 2016, the department was renamed back to the Ministry of People's Security and became subordinate to the [[State Affairs Commission of North Korea|State Affairs Commission]].<ref name=":1" /> In May 2020, it was changed back to the Ministry of Social Security.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nknews.org/2020/06/north-korea-likely-renames-ministry-of-peoples-security/|title=North Korea likely renames Ministry of People's Security &#124; NK News|date=3 June 2020}}</ref>

BeyondThe [[police|policing]],main itsduties servicesof includethe operatingMinistry theof Social Security include [[prison systempolice|policing]], inprotecting Northkey Koreagovernment whichinstallations isand parttransport, ofas thewell Corrections Bureau of the Ministry of Social Security,as monitoring the public distribution system and providing [[bodyguard]]s to important persons.<ref name="Schwekendiek2011">{{cite book |last=Schwekendiek |first=Daniel|title=A Socioeconomic History of North Korea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6kFVdjkcXZYC&pg=PA87 |title=A Socioeconomic History of North Korea |date=19 April 2011 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-8541-3 |page=87}}</ref> It consists of four child agencies - the Railway Security Bureau, which guards important routes of travel and transport within the DPRK, the Financial Intelligence Agency, which combats money-laundering, extortion and other financial crimes, the Corrections Bureau, which operates the brutal [[Prisons in North Korea|prison system]] in North Korea, and the Social Security Forces, which effectively serve as a Gendarmerie and [[riot police]] force.

Aside from general policing, the Ministry of Social Security also investigates serious crimes such as theft, extortion and blackmail. The Ministry of Social Security gathers information from local informers in [[Inminban|social units]] about irregular acts. If a case is believed to be of a [[Political crime|political nature]], it is instead handed over to the [[Ministry of State Security (North Korea)|Ministry of State Security]] for investigation.<ref name="Schwekendiek2011"/> The Ministry of Social Security primarily operates via a large network of offices and departments throughout the DPRK, ensuring a significant law enforcement presence in large cities, especially the capital, [[Pyongyang]].

The Korean People's [[Social Security Forces]] ({{lang-ko|조선인민내무군}}) formerly known as People's Guards Forces ({{lang-ko|조선인민경비대}})<ref>[http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0070133 조선인민경비대(朝鮮人民警備隊)]</ref> is subordinated to the ministry<ref>[https://www.dailynk.com/english/government-courier-attacked-soldiers/ North Korean government courier attacked by soldiers]</ref> and is essentially the North Korean counterpart to the [[Internal troops|Internal Troops]] of Soviet and post-Soviet states. It 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. It is the country's national gendarmerie and civil defense organization organized in military lines.

*[[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. Within the DPRK's internal security apparatus, assault rifles and other heavy weapons are mainly carried by specialized paramilitary units such as the Social Security Forces.

*[[Choe Pu-il]] (2013-20202013–2020)

*[[Kim Jong-ho (politician)|Kim Jong-ho]] {{lang-ja|金正浩 (軍人)}} (2020- – January 2021)<ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.nknews.org/2020/02/north-korea-may-have-appointed-a-new-minister-of-peoples-security-south-says/ |title=North Korea may have appointed a new Minister of People’sPeople's Security, South says, |first=Jeongmin |last=Kim, |date=February 14, 2020]}}</ref>

*[[Ri Yong-gil]]: January 2021 -– July 2021

*[[Kim Jong-ho (politician)|Kim Jong-ho]]: July 2021- – September 2021

*[[Jang Jong-nam]]: September 2021 -– December 2021

*[[Ri Thae-sop]]: December 2021- – June 2022<ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.38north.org/articles/affiliates/north-korea-leadership-watch/23617/ |title=DPRK Gets a New Police Boss,|date=4 January 4th 2022]}}</ref>

*[[Park Su-il]] -: June 2022 -– December 2022

*[[Ri Thae-sop]] -: 28 December 2022 -– present