The Office 39 (삼십구호실) is a structure which was found in the late 1970s. Its name is due either to the fact it was established on a 9 March, or because it was the 9th room on the 3rd floor of the WPK. The Office 39 shall be named Room 39 according to the translation of 호실, however Office is more often used to describe this structure of the CC WPK.
Its task is to secure an independent basis for the Kim family, raising money for the nuclear program, and acquire luxury goods for the Kim family.
As of 2020, the headquarter of the Office 39 is located close to the headquarter of the WPK. The Office 39 is divided into six departments (Taesong, Ponghwa, Nagwon, Taehung, Kungwang, and Nungnado), which employ several thousands people. These employees have their own kindergartens, sport facilities, and shops.
The Office 39 is managing hundreds of companies such as iron and coals mines, jewellery, seafood and textiles companies.
The Office 39 mainly specialize in exporting goods abroad, printing false dollars (there was a printing machine in the North Korean embassy in Congo).
An interesting business of the Office 39 is the museum in Angkor Wat (Cambodia), which give 7 million of euro on yearly basis with an exclusive contract till 2025. The money made abroad is transferred through diplomatic channels. North Korean diplomats are carrying money in cash in their luggage.
The Office 39 is mainly working with partners from China and Syria. An unknown business is the production of textiles for export for famous western brands (such as providers of the famous Italian brand Giorgio Armani), which are partially prepared in North Korean Labor Camps. The Office 39 has also a section responsible for foreign insurance frauds.
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