Direkt zum Hauptbereich

North Korean intelligence collection



Beside some interesting meetings and events in the past the North Korean intelligence agencies in Europe – sitting in their embassies or using front companies and international organisations as a cover – have to fight on different subjects: Not only looking for business, special materials and cash flow they have to deal with „imperialistic agents“ and „liars“ from human right groups. Refugees, which are of course „tricked“ into Western countries by the „satan“ in Washington, the media, the „gangster clique“ in Seoul and other bad boys, are travelling around and telling the people stories which are more or less untold inside North Korea. 

As every other country in the world the North Koreans are looking abroad for maybe problems, which can be dissidents, refugees or activists. While Russian intelligence tries to monitor e. g. Greenpeace in Europe (and elsewhere), North Korea looks for people in Europe (and elsewhere) which are interesting for them. This can be family members, which are falling from favour. Some of them suddenly committed suicide or had an accident… In this case there is a special unit inside the North Korean intelligence which is arriving immediately on the scene, recovering assets, cleaning the place and hampering police and intelligence from the guest country to dig deeper.

Additionally the North Korean intelligence agencies have their sympathisers. The intelligence agencies from Israel can rely on their followers all over the world, mostly jewish people, which are doing „research“ for the Mossad due to patriotic or religious or both reasons. Beside money North Korea can offer Juche, their ideology – and there are still enough members of their Friendship Associations which are willing to do the job, instructed by North Korean staff. Last time in Germany it was Hong Son Ok .

Something which makes the North Koreans very angry is the „North Korea Freedom Week in Europe 2013“, especially the demonstration yesterday, 12 October, in front of their embassy in Berlin. Watching the scene beside the small group of protesters it was interesting to observe the observers, which were able to take pictures from  every single person. I don´t say that they were working for the DPRK, but... they raised my suspicion. Aditionally a few CCTV were in action, recording the demonstration, presumably not only from the embassy itself. One can only speculate if the North Koreans are discussing the gathered pictures and information with their Chinese colleagues, not far away from the Glinka Street. And there maybe a few other embassies in Berlin, which are interested in profiling the activists…



Kommentare

Beliebte Posts aus diesem Blog

Turkish intelligence agencies in troubled times

The Turkish intelligence agencies have various interesting cover organisations and offices in Europe from which they operate. Sometimes these are lobby firms, cultural and language associations, but also think tanks and supposed research institutions. Sometimes they can simply be commercial companies that serve as a cover. In addition, there is a large reservoir of reliable contacts in the diaspora that are always available.  In doing so, the Turkish government is following a successful tactic that has been observed for some time in other states - both enemy and friendly: The structural and geographical outsourcing of intelligence resources and capacities in order to operate effectively from there, i.e. another location. This not only involves outsourcing to non-state actors , but also the relocation of employees of a state intelligence service. This takes them out of the public or media spotlight. In addition - and this applies to Turkey in particular - individual representatives ...

Spionageziel Berlin

"Am Ende einigten die Alliierten sich darauf, uneinig zu bleiben."  Nein: Das ist nicht das Schlusswort von Olaf Scholz nach der Ukraine Konferenz in der Schweiz, die in paar Tagen stattfinden wird. Könnte allerdings passen. Es ist ein Zitat aus dem sehr lesenswerten Buch " In  geheimer Mission . Als Sonderbeauftragter Roosevelts bei Churchill u.  Stalin  1941 - 1946" von William Averell Harriman  und bezieht sich auf die Konferenz 1945 in Jalta.  Auch heute ist dieses Buch lesenswert, denn es zeigt, wie gravierend das  Zögern und Zaudern auf der einen Seite sich auswirken kann - zum Vorteil der anderen Seite, damals Stalin. Das, was einige Politiker wie Churchill damals ahnten - nämlich dass sich Stalin mittelfristig um keine Abmachungen scheren wird - und was viele der Westalliierten aufgrund kurzfristiger Interessen ignorierten, lässt sich auch heute beobachten: Wie positioniert sich der Westen gegenüber Staaten wie Russland oder China? Wie selbstb...

Die Russen mal wieder

Man fühlt sich schon beinahe in die Zeiten des Kalten Krieges, beispielsweise die McCarthy Ära versetzt: Überall russische Spione! Ich will allerdings nicht die Bedrohung herunterspielen und es trifft auch meiner Einschätzung nach zu, dass sich Russland seit einiger Zeit besonders bemüht. Die Frage ist allerdings, wie dies geschieht und wie die Russen heutzutage vorgehen. Im Falle der beiden am 17. April 2024 verhafteten potenziellen Saboteure war die Planung - sollte es denn eine solche gegeben haben - eher dürftig!  Die sich häufenden Misserfolge der russischen Geheimdienste in den letzten Jahren haben verschiedene Ursachen. Ich möchte hier nur zwei Aspekte hervorheben: Das  massive, koordinierte Vorgehens des Westens - massenhafte Ausweisung von Personal und Schließung oder intensivere Beobachtung offizieller Adressen -  haben dazu geführt, dass professionelle Operationen vor Ort schwieriger sind. Für die Rekrutierung geeigneter Leute fehlt häufig das qualifizierte P...