Every North Korean province permits a select group of individuals (approximately a dozen) to travel to and from China relatively freely to engage in cross-border trade. Such traders sell North Korean goods to Chinese buyers, which brings in essential currency. Inside sources suggest that Jang Song Taek’s execution in December 2013 led to an increase in surveillance of these traders. One of the charges against Jang was rampant corruption in trade dealings. Sources in South Pyongan and North Hwanghae provinces say that the purge of Jang Song Taek has complicated the visa process by requiring a letter of recommendation from local heads of security and making it more expensive for traders. The state has imposed this additional layer of bureaucracy to prevent traders form seeking asylum overseas. Additionally, the state is very selective about who is allowed to enter China on such a trade visa. Age and gender are deciding factors in the process, as well as bribery, which is essential for anyone wishing to receive a visa in a timely manner.