| 조선민주주의인민공화국 사회안전성 | |||||||||||||||
.svg) Flag used by the Ministry of Social Security | |||||||||||||||
.svg) Emblem of the Ministry of Social Security | |||||||||||||||
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 Patch worn by guards in Pyongyang | |||||||||||||||
| Agency overview | |||||||||||||||
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| Formed | November 19, 1945; 80 years ago (1945-11-19) | ||||||||||||||
| Jurisdiction |  North Korea | ||||||||||||||
| Headquarters | Pyongyang 39°4′49″N125°46′3″E / 39.08028°N 125.76750°E /39.08028; 125.76750 | ||||||||||||||
| Minister responsible | |||||||||||||||
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | State Affairs Commission | ||||||||||||||
| Child agencies | |||||||||||||||
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TheMinistry of Social Security (previously known as theMinistry of People's Security from 2000 to 2020) is theinterior ministry and principallaw enforcement agency withinNorth Korea.[1] The ministry serves as the official public and internal security force, responsible 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 theSocial Security Forces.
Unlike most ministries in North Korea, which operate under theCabinet, the Ministry of Social Security is directly supervised by theState Affairs Commission, though in the past it has been subordinate to other national bodies.[2] The current minister isRi Yong-gil. According toFyodor Tertitskiy, columnist atNK News, prospective officers are chosen by recommendation by a localWorkers' Party of Korea (WPK) Committee, although some are chosen because of theirsongbun status.[3]
The ministry was first created as thePolitical Security Bureau (Korean: 정치보안국) on November 19, 1945.[4] The bureau became a subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in September 1948.[5]
The bureau became a separate ministry known as theMinistry of Social Security (Korean: 사회안전성) in May 1951.[4] However, the ministry was later merged back with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 1952.[5]
The Ministry of Social Security was re-established in October 1962 after splitting from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.[5] It became theSocial Security Department (Korean: 사회안전부) in December 1972.[4] The department was a subordinate to the Administration Council. In April 1982, the department was split from the Administration Council[6] but was later returned to its control in December 1986.
The department was renamed back to the Ministry of Social Security in September 1998 and became subordinate to theCabinet.[4][5] In April 2000, the name of the ministry was changed toMinistry of People's Security (Korean: 인민보안성).[4]
In April 2010, the ministry became thePeople's Security Department (Korean: 인민보안부) and was transferred to the control of theNational Defence Commission.[4]
In 2016, the department was renamed back to the Ministry of People's Security and became subordinate to theState Affairs Commission.[4]
In May 2020, it was changed back to the Ministry of Social Security.[7]
In 2023, theMinistry of State Security referred itself asSaeng-Gaggyeongchal, which translates inKorean as theThought Police.[citation needed]
The main duties of the Ministry of Social Security includepolicing, protecting key government installations and transport, as well as monitoring the public distribution system and providingbodyguards to important persons.[8] It consists of five 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 Protection Bureau, which is responsible forfire protection,traffic control, public health, and customs, the Corrections Bureau, which operates the brutalprison system in North Korea, and theSocial Security Forces, which effectively serve as a Gendarmerie andriot police force.
Aside from general policing, the Ministry of Social Security through the Registration Bureau is also responsible for issuingNorth Korean identity documents toNorth Korean citizens investigates serious crimes such as theft, extortion and blackmail. The Ministry of Social Security gathers information from local informers insocial units about irregular acts. If a case is believed to be of apolitical nature, it is instead handed over to theMinistry of State Security (North Korea's Thought Police) for investigation of their actions and anti-socialist thoughts.[8] 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'sSocial Security Forces (Korean:조선인민내무군) formerly known as People's Guards Forces (Korean:조선인민경비대)[9] is subordinated to the ministry[10] and is essentially the North Korean counterpart to theInternal 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.
In the 1980s, the work of the People's Guards was transferred to the National Security Agency, and the border guard was believed to have passed to the People's Armed Forces Ministry in October 1996. In 2010 the then People's Security Forces became the People's Internal Security Forces, and in 2020 was renamed as the People's Social Security Forces.
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.
| Name | Country of origin | Type | Users | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 68 | North Korea | Semi-automatic pistol | Standard issue | North KoreanTT-33 copy |
| Type 70 | K-9 officers, patrolman, patrolwomen | Indigenous design | ||
| Baek-Du San pistol | In service | North KoreanCZ-75 copy | ||
| Type 58 | Assault rifle | Corrections Bureau guards, Social Security Forces | North KoreanAK copy | |
| Type 68 | ||||
| Type 88 | ||||
| Type 73 light machine gun | Light machine gun | North KoreanPK machine gun andZB vz.26 copy | ||
| RPG-7 |  Soviet Union | Grenade launcher | Used in small numbers |
| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| General | .png){kind=icon} |
| Colonel General | .png){kind=icon} |
| Lieutenant General | .png){kind=icon} |
| Major General | .png){kind=icon} |
| Senior Colonel | .png){kind=icon} |
| Colonel | .png){kind=icon} |
| Lieutenant Colonel | .png){kind=icon} |
| Major | .png){kind=icon} |
| Captain | .png){kind=icon} |
| Senior Lieutenant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Lieutenant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Junior Lieutenant | .png){kind=icon} |
| First Sergeant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Senior Sergeant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Sergeant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Junior Sergeant | .png){kind=icon} |
| Corporal | .png){kind=icon} |
| Lance Corporal | .png){kind=icon} |
| Senior Private | .png){kind=icon} |
| Private | .png){kind=icon} |
