Division 39 is an alleged slush fund operated by the North Korean government. It is reported to hold as much as $5 billion in funds, and may be involved in illegal activities, such as counterfeiting (see Superdollar). Although the seclusion of the North Korean state makes it difficult to evaluate this kind of information, many claim that Division 39 is critical to Kim Jong-il's continued power, enabling him to buy political support and to help fund North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
