Over 17 North Koreans prosecuted for using S. Korean slang: Human Rights Watch
This Dec. 9 photo released by North Korea's state media shows its leader Kim Jong-un raising his hand on Mother's Day in Pyongyang, North Korea. More than 17 young North Koreans were prosecuted for watching unsanctioned videos and using South Korean slang in 2023 as the regime strengthened its control over almost every aspect of people's lives, according to a report published, Friday (KST). Yonhap
Regime uses public trials, executions to ‘awaken the masses’By Jung Min-hoMore than 17 young North Koreans were prosecuted for watching unsanctioned videos and using South Korean slang in 2023 as the regime strengthened its control over almost every aspect of people’s lives, according to a report published Thursday (U.S. time).
In its annual World Report, Human Rights Watch (HWR), a New York-based NGO, said North Korea “remains one of the most repressive countries in the world” as totalitarian leader Kim Jong-un continues to use torture, executions and other barbaric means to tighten his grip on power.
Citing North Korean escapees who spoke to their relatives there, Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director, said 17 young North Koreans were prosecuted last year for watching unauthorized videos ― likely originating from South Korea ― and using South Korean-style language.
“The group’s leader was sentenced to 10 years forced labor,” Pearson said in response to The Korea Times’ email inquiries. “In another case, youth athletes were sentenced to 3-5 years for using South Korean vocabulary.”
North Korean authorities also approved the use of public trials and executions to “awaken the masses,” she added. Consuming any media content created outside the country is illegal. But defectors say the penalties are particularly severe for those possessing or distributing content from the South.
“This past year, we’ve seen the North Korean regime strengthen its control, the country has become even more repressive and even more isolated since the pandemic,” Pearson said.
North Korea is infamous for its extreme isolation ― an environment established under the regime to brainwash its people. But the stakes for crossing the border are now higher than ever before.
“The government has a shoot-on-sight policy in place for anyone reaching the Northern border ― that has been in place since August 2020. Other violations of quarantine laws carry severe penalties, even death,” Pearson said.
This finding is consistent with a white paper released earlier this week by the Korea Institute for National Unification, a state-funded think tank. Citing an eyewitness who escaped North Korea last year, scholars said in that paper that a person was publicly executed for violating pandemic rules.
A combination of the global health crisis and the expansion of state intervention aggravated North Korea’s already dire shortages of food and other daily necessities, the World Report shows.
“They adversely impacted the ability of ordinary North Koreans to conduct basic economic activities, generally worsening their rights to food, health, and an adequate standard of living,” the report says. “There were reports of a mass vaccination campaign and a second round of vaccinations for COVID-19 in North Pyongan Province, Nampo port, and Pyongyang in September 2022. However, there are no official numbers of vaccinated people available.”
The report also points out that China’s mass surveillance and its practice of deporting North Korean refugees are among the major obstacles that impede human rights activists’ efforts.
“The Chinese government continued to seek to detain North Korean asylum seekers and return them to North Korea, violating China’s obligations as a state party to the UN Refugee Convention. Many North Koreans detained in China were forcibly returned to North Korea ― 80 in August, 40 in September, and at least 500 in October ― where they almost certainly faced grave abuses for their attempted escape,” it says.
-
护航孩子成长 解决职工后顾之忧微信认识美女 美女编织陷阱Alleged ‘Shitty Media Men’ list creator steps forward, Twitter eruptsDoorDash nudges users who don't leave tips7 Reasons to Explore Boston’s Lesser#SendForgivenessViral proposes new approach to online outrage村民顺利办到农房重建贷款农工党中央将援助芦山三个项目抖音超600万次传播量!广东省农事运动会乡村直播大赛火出圈这个服务区,有原石公园逛更有生猛海鲜吃丨服务区里的“年味”②
下一篇:What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more
- ·雅安市举办首届“文轩教育”校园足球精英夏令营
- ·How to clean your iPhone speakers
- ·Chilgok honors children of US Army vet with honorary citizenship
- ·Sweden welcomes its first wooden wind turbine tower
- ·21 Caves That Offer Otherworldly Experiences
- ·Trump ends #RNCinCL by blowing a tender kiss at Mike Pence
- ·Disney Plus, Hulu increase their prices again
- ·Chilgok honors children of US Army vet with honorary citizenship
- ·[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists
- ·Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney break up again, ending engagement
- ·BBC journalists joke about pay gap and Carrie Gracie
- ·North Korea passes critical anniversary without provocation
- ·Campbell highlights Washington Declaration amid security concerns over Putin
- ·N. Korea running hydroelectric power plant near Gaeseong
- ·Alleged ‘Shitty Media Men’ list creator steps forward, Twitter erupts
- ·农工党中央将援助芦山三个项目
- ·How much will PCB's Champions Cup mentors be paid?
- ·Chilgok honors children of US Army vet with honorary citizenship
- ·This new bot attempts to give you raw, unfiltered Trump
- ·Disney Plus, Hulu increase their prices again
- ·Alcaraz vs. Van de Zandschulp 2024 livestream: Watch US Open for free
- ·Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney break up again, ending engagement
- ·这个服务区,有原石公园逛更有生猛海鲜吃丨服务区里的“年味”②
- ·Koreans wake up early to get Chuseok train tickets
- ·Google is bringing AI summaries to ‘Files’ so you can find your docs quicker
- ·N. Korea accepts on
- ·Apple Watch 10 rumors: Everything we know so far
- ·'Too passive' PSG stunned by rock
- ·The timeline of the Trump campaign's many statements on who wrote Melania's speech
- ·Mark Zuckerberg wants Current Facebook to go back to being Old Facebook
- ·共同推动雅安职工思想政治引领数智化发展工作做深做实
- ·财鱼、孝鱼、麒麟鱼……过年好意头,首选三角生鱼!
- ·Moon agreed to flying B
- ·7 students booked for assaulting 3 classmates for 12 hours
- ·21 College and University Museums
- ·抓质量赶进度 自力更生建家园