[Anchor]
What is equivalent to a police substation chief in South Korea is called a "Bunjuso chief" in North Korea. Two years ago, a large-scale meeting convened Bunjuso chiefs from across the country in Pyongyang, and North Korean state media has belatedly come forward to reveal what happened back then.
Reporter Kim Ayeong looks into the story.
[Reporter]
This is a documentary titled "A Story of Love Conveyed by a Commemorative Photo," aired by Korean Central Television (KCTV) on September 15.
People who look like soldiers at first glance enter a building one after another.
They are Bunjuso chiefs who traveled to Pyongyang from across the country to attend a conference held from April 30 to May 1 two years ago.
In South Korean terms, a Bunjuso chief is the head of a local police substation responsible for neighborhood public security.
North Korean media has belatedly spotlighted this moment again, and one Bunjuso chief interviewed becomes emotional as he recalls the moment the event came to an end.
[Kim Chol-jun : Not just me, but my entire family was waiting for this matter, and the disappointment of having to return without experiencing that moment of joy and glory...]
He meant that he was upset because he thought he was heading back without taking a commemorative photo, having hoped he might be able to take one with the supreme leader.
However, unexpected news of a photo session suddenly arrived afterward.
According to KCTV's explanation, General Secretary Kim Jong Un stopped the Bunjuso chiefs who were heading back to their respective regions and summoned them back.
At the time, North Korea did not disclose specific details on how the photo session came to be arranged.
[Kim Chol-u : He said he could not come out because he was too busy with work. He said, 'How disappointed would they be,' and so he ordered us to be brought back, we were told.]
In the commemorative photo taken after twists and turns, dozens of people stand in a single row, tightly lined up so closely that individual faces can hardly be identified.
Bunjuso are established in each local dong or ri, and alongside their duty of ensuring residents' safety, they also perform surveillance functions.
[Oh Gyeong-seob / Senior Research Fellow at Korea Institute for National Unification : North Korea's Bunjuso play a considerably important role in monitoring residents' movements and controlling ideology. They also play a role in lodging inspections and residential control.]
Taking commemorative photos serves as an effective act of governance aimed at boosting loyalty among grassroots security organizations to tighten social discipline.
[Ri Hyok-chan : Whenever I respectfully look up to the commemorative photo, I feel that I must never forget the trust and expectations even for a moment. When times are tough, I look up to the commemorative photo and regain my resolve.]
The fact that KCTV produced and released a documentary about an episode from more than two years ago is seen as an attempt to emphasize that the effect of commemorative photos remains valid today.
Analysts also note that by portraying the supreme leader as taking special care of grassroots security personnel, the broadcast aims to propagandize his attentive leadership.
When schedules change so abruptly, concerns over administrative waste or confusion could arise, but mentions of such issues are nowhere to be found in North Korean media.
Reported by Cho Chun-dong | Video by Kim Jong-mi
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.