Mongolia: The State Security Agency
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 7 February 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MNG33709.E |
| Reference | 4 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Mongolia: The State Security Agency, 7 February 2000, MNG33709.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad6b40.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Only limited information on the State Security Agency (SSA) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
The SSA is Mongolia's civilian intelligence service (JIR 2 Sept. 1998), and, as reported by Country Reports 1998, was
formerly the Mongolian Central Intelligence Agency [and] is responsible for internal security; its head has ministerial status and reports directly to the Prime Minister; a parliamentary committee oversees the military forces, the police, and the SSA (Feb. 1999).
A 25 August 1999 Jane's Defence Weekly (JDW) article on the Mongolia Intelligence law has been reproduced completely below:
Mongolian President N Bagabandi late last month vetoed a new law aimed at regulating the intelligence services. The law was passed a few weeks earlier by the legislature, the Great Hural.
The Law on Intelligence Organisations seeks to consolidate intelligence activities with two agencies: the civilian General Intelligence Agency (GIA), previously known as the State Security Agency; and the military's Information Research Agency (IRA).
The GIA would be mandated to collect foreign intelligence, undertake counter-intelligence activities and produce analysis providing the state with information on internal and external issues relating to national security. The IRA would be mandated to collect and analyse information of a political/military and strategic/military nature for the military command.
The proposed intelligence law seeks to check IRA activities by ensuring that regulations governing military intelligence must be approved by both the armed forces chief of general staff (CGS) and the GIA chief.
However, Bagabandi objects to the clause stating that the GIA chief will be appointed by the prime minister.
"He feels that the president, as head of the National Security Council, should be consulted on the GIA appointment," a government source explained.
The Great Hural is expected to consider amending the proposed intelligence law during its next session, beginning on 1 October. It is also likely to debate a long-delayed revision of the Defence Law, which includes a strengthening of the CGS position by placing the IRA under his direct control.
On 2 December 1999 Daily News in Ulaanbaatar reported that the state budget for 2000 had been approved and that
1.8bn tugrik was budget for parliament, 99.4bn for president, 92.4 for prime minister, and 1.7bn for the state security agency, figures as received. The state security agency funding was increased this year in connection with the growth of civil violations and offences, as well as the government's concern for the revelation of MP S.Zorig's murder.
Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted.
For information on the three directorates concerned with security in Mongolia, please consult MNG32674.E of 13 September 1999.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. February 1999. United States Department of State. Washington, DC.: United States Government Printing Office.
Daily News [Email, Ulaanbaatar, in English]. 2 December 1999. "Mongolia Approves State Budget for 2000." (BBC Worldwide 28 Jan. 2000/NEXIS)
Jane's Defence Weekly (JDW) [Surrey]. 25 August 1999. Robert Sae-Liu. "Mongolia Intelligence Law Veto." (NEXIS)
Jane's Intelligence Review (JIR) [Surrey]. 2 September 1998. Vol. 30, No. 9. Robert Karniol. "Interview: Dr. Ravdangiin Bold, Secretary-General, Mongolian National Security Council."
Additional Sources Consulted
World Factbook 1994.
Internet sources, including:
Federation of American Scientists: World Intelligence and Security Agencies
Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, UK
Infosystem Mongolei: An Internet-based Journal on Mongolian Affairs
Intelligence Agencies of the World
Kim-Spy Intelligence-Counterintelligence.
Ministry of External Relations of Mongolia
Mongolia Home Page
Mongolia Online
Mongolia Resource Page
Simon Kitson's register of Police scholars
Virtual Mongolia
Search engines, including: