The sinking of an unidentified vessel by the Japanese Coast Guards late in December of disclosed the true nature of one of the most secretive North Korean espionage organs. Having exchanged radio messages before being sunk, using the frequency of the North Korean Workers' Party, the vessel is suspected of being a North Korean espionage ship, shedding light on the espionage activities the Operations Department of the Workers' Party has waged against Japan, including the alleged kidnapping of its citizens.

Espionage agents or so-called combatants affiliated with the Workers' Party Operations Department, situated near the Government Complex No. 3 in Pyongyang, are reportedly so outstanding in their dexterity that they can be likened to "McGuyver." Capable of executing such difficult assignments as kidnapping, demolition, explosion, delivery of goods and rendezvous without a hitch, they are known to be of the top class in the North as far as espionage activities are concerned.

They are assigned to six liaison offices scattered around the country, which the Operations Department runs for the purpose of waging espionage activities through infiltration into Japan and South Korea, among other countries. They are located in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, and Wonsan, Kangwon Province, along the east coast, taking charge of Japan's northern and South Korea's east coasts, respectively; in Nampo, South Pyongan Province, and Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, along the west coasts, covering southern Japan and the South's west coasts. Situated in inland are those in Kaesong and Pyonggan, Kangwon Province, whose missions are to infiltrate into the South across the DMZ.

A major general, who is assisted by chiefs of operations, planning and rear area officers as well as a chief of staff, a party committee and a party secretary, heads each liaison office. The combatants aboard the suspected North Korean espionage vessel all committed suicide instead of surrendering, because, having been recruited young and undergone rigorous training, were equipped with a stronger sense of loyalty to the socialist system than their counterparts of other espionage apparatus. The Operations Department recruits most prospective combatants in their fourth or fifth grade of senior high school, aged 15 or 16, but the Baekdu Training Institute, also known as the "Samjiyon Liaison Office," trains boys aged 11 or 12 as combatants. All Operations Department combatants are reportedly given overseas missions once or twice before reaching the age of 25. Otherwise they lose opportunities to serve on assignments abroad. Combatants learn not only basic cultural subjects such as "revolutionary history" involving Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, but also self-defense arts including Taekkwondo, and various killing skills. Also essential to them are code deciphering and diving.

Each liaison office of the Operations Department possesses more than 20 espionage vessels, which navigate at 30 knots per hour, powered by two 130 horse power motors. In addition, the liaison office operates over 20 hovercraft and semi-submersibles.

(Lee Kyo-kwan, haedang@chosun.com )