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영어

This article analyzes the reality and characteristics of intelligence agencies during the Kim Jong-un era in North Korea. Today's intelligence agencies in each country work for national security and national interest. However, North Korea's intelligence agencies are being used as tools to complete the hereditary system. Kim Jong-un, who inherited power after Kim Jong-il's death, used intelligence agencies to effectively build power within a short period of time. North Korea guarantees independent intelligence agencies and enforces loyalty to the leader through mutual checks and competition among intelligence agencies. In 2009, Kim Jong-un carried out a complete reorganization of the intelligence service. Intelligence agencies are broadly classified into domestic (State Security Department, Ministry of Social Security, etc.) and South Korean/overseas organizations (General Bureau of Reconnaissance, Bureau of North Korea Cultural Exchange Bureau, Bureau of North Korea United Front Operation, etc.) The characteristics of North Korean intelligence agencies are as follows. First, North Korea's intelligence agencies have a top priority to defend the Kim Jong-un regime. It also performs operations against South Korea. Second, Kim Jong-un is in direct control and is forcing a competition for mutual loyalty. In order to use the halo of Kim Il-sung, the name of the intelligence agency in the Kim Il-sung era is being used again. Third, the Organizational and Guidance Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea monitors and supervises intelligence agencies. The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland was formalized as a national organization. Fourth, the Overseas Intelligence Bureau (5 Bureaus) of the General Bureau of Reconnaissance collects military information against South Korea and the United States. The Technology Reconnaissance Bureau (3 stations) is strengthening cyber operations such as cyber terrorism and hacking. Fifth, Kim Jong-un is strengthening surveillance and control to prevent North Korean defection by mobilizing all intelligence agencies. In particular, we are strengthening operations against the South, such as the South Korean defector disguised as a spy, assassination of certain individuals, and collection of state secrets. In the future, North Korea will mobilize all the elite hackers possessed by intelligence agencies to conduct cyber psychological warfare to hack financial networks, steal state secrets and personal information, and promote inter-Korean conflict, Korea-US conflict, and inter-Korean conflict. It will also carry out spying activities against the South, North Korean defectors re-entering North Korea, and cyber operations. Considering that North Korean intelligence agencies continue to engage in information activities against South Korea and the United States for the purpose of revolution against South Korea, it is necessary to prepare preemptive measures such as supplementing the network of agencies that are vulnerable to information exposure.

한국어

이 글은 북한의 김정은 시대 정보기구의 실태를 분석하였다. 북한의 정보기구는 세습체제 완성을 위한 도구로 활용되고 있다. 김정일 사망 후 정보기구를 장악한 김정은은 정보기구 간 상호 견제와 충성경쟁을 통해 단기간 내에 세습체제를 구축하였다. 북한의 정보기구는 국내(국가보위성, 사회안전성, 보위국 등)와 대남·해외(정찰총국, 통일전선부, 문화교류국, 적군와해공작국 등)활동으로 대별 할 수 있다. 북한 정보기구의 특징을 보면, 첫째, 북한의 정보기구는 김정은 체제 결사옹위에 최우선적 목표를 두고, 대남공작 업무를 병행하고 있었다. 둘째, 김일성의 후광을 이용하고자, 김일성 시대 정보기관의 명칭을 다시 사용하고 있었다. 셋째, 노동당 중앙위원회 조직지도부가 정보기구를 감시·감독하고, 조평통을 국가기구로 공식화하였다. 넷째, 정찰총국의 해외정보국(5국)은 대남·대미 군사정보 수집을, 기술정찰국(3국)은 사이버테러와 해킹 등 사이버 공작을 강화하고 있었다. 다섯째, 김정은은 정보기구를 총동원해 주민들의 탈북 방지 감시와 통제를 강화하고, 탈북민 위장 간첩남파, 탈북민 동향 파악과 재입북 공작, 특정 인사 암살, 국가기밀탐지 수집 등의 대남공작 활동에 주력하고 있었다. 북한은 정보기구가 보유한 최정예 해커들을 총동원해 금융망 해킹, 국가기밀과 개인정보 등 절취, 남남·한미·남북 갈등 조장 사이버심리전, 탈북민 위장 간첩남파와 재입북 등의 대남공작 활동을 치밀하게 진행할 것이다. 그리고 북한 정보기구가 대남혁명 목적하에 대남, 대미 정보활동을 지속하고 있다는 점을 고려할 때, 민관군의 유기적인 협동체제를 구축해 선제적이고 공세적인 대책을 마련해 시행해야 할 것이다.