North Korea has demolished thousands of temporary guard posts that it built along its border with China during the pandemic, NK Pro analysis shows, in a sign that it has wrapped up a sweeping security expansion to stop smuggling and defections.

After closing its border to keep out COVID-19 in Jan. 2020, the DPRK constructed hundreds of miles of new electrified fencing and thousands of new guard posts along its northern border, while also increasing electronic surveillance.

The author’s analysis has found that this included 6,820 new guard posts across some 200 miles (321 km) of border near