When digital assets were created, the founders were trying to eliminate the need for a central authority. Never in their mind, would they have thought of an application where it’s used to topple a government? However, it would seem that they’re now being used as a financing tool for political revolutionaries who are looking to free the state of North Korea from the tight grip of Kim Jong-Un.
On March 17, a dissident group of North Korean political “anarchists” posted a plan on its official website to raise funds that will help it to oust the dictatorship regime of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un. Of course, this isn’t news. People have been trying to overthrow Kim for years. However, what mainly brings this group’s efforts into the spotlight is their medium; digital assets.
200,000 units of Visas issued on the Blockchain
Known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD), the group reportedly plans to sell up 200,000 units of G-VISAs (with the G standing for “Genesis,” a Biblical reference to the beginning of a new nation). According to the group, each of the visas will be supported by a non-fungible ERC-721 token, and the first thousand units of the visa will sell for a single Ethereum (ETH) token. The group didn’t reveal how much each unit will sell for after the first round have been sold.
The group’s website goes on to say that the visas will come with unique ID numbers, which will be assigned based on the order in which they have been purchased. The entry visas will allow people to visit Jayu Joseon (translating to “Free Joseon,” the name the group has planned to give to North Korea once they’ve liberated it from the control of Kim) for a period of 45 days.
There is no limit to the number of visas that can be purchased from the group, but businesses who want to operate any form of commercial activity in the new country Jayu Joseon, will have to contact them for an advanced G-VISA. If they do end up succeeding in their quest, the unusual nature of the visas will make them valuable for anyone who owns them. There’s no need to show proof of ownership beyond owning the token.
Visas will be going on sale from March 24, and they would expire on March 1, 2029—a ten-year timeline for ousting Kim’s leadership.
Their War with Kim
Per a report on the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Cheollima Civil Defense first gained popularity back in 2017. Members of the CCD had helped Kim Han-sol, the son of Kim Jong-nam escape the country following the death of his father in Malaysia.
Kim Jong-nam was the half-brother of Kim and the eldest son of Kim Jong-il, the former leader of North Korea. He was considered the heir apparent to his father’s throne for a brief period, before he was assassinated by killers reportedly loyal to Kim Jong-un in a bid to secure the throne and consolidate power to himself.
The group also made its presence known back in February when, according to a report by The Washington Post, ten masked CCD members reportedly stormed the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain. During the attack, the suspected CCD members tied up embassy staff and made away with their mobile phones and personal computers.
As noted by the SCMP, little is known about the CCD and how it operates. However, its organizational structure, as well as the impressive list of actions it has under its belt, means that it could be a potential thorn in Kim Jong-un’s side in the coming years.
