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Curated by: ASIAPRESSrimjingang (62 videos)
By the mid-2010s, border fencing was largely complete — yet people could still venture out to the riverbanks beyond the wire for daily life. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, however, border security became extreme. North Korean authorities first issued a decree that anyone approaching the border would be shot on sight, cutting residents off entirely from the border zone. Despite chronic power shortages, electric fencing and surveillance cameras were installed. At "No. 10 guard posts" set up near the border, residents and vehicles are subjected to thorough inspections. On the Chinese side, reinforced razor wire and the latest surveillance cameras have added another layer of control. Reporting partners inside the country are unanimous: defection is now impossible. (ASIAPRESS)