Capital punishment in North Korea

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Capital punishment is a legal penalty in North Korea. It is used for many offenses, such as grand theft, murder, rape, drug smuggling, treason, espionage, political dissent, defection, piracy, consumption of media not approved by the government and proselytizing religious beliefs that contradict the practiced Juche ideology. [1] Owing to the secrecy of the North Korean government, working knowledge of the topic depends heavily on anonymous sources, accounts of defectors (both relatives of victims, and former members of the government) and reports by Radio Free Asia, a United States government-funded news service that operates in East Asia. [1] The country allegedly carries out public executions, which, if true, makes North Korea one of the last four countries that still performs public executions, the other three being Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia, but this has been disputed by some defector accounts. [2]

Contents

Reported executions

The South-Korean-based Database Center for North Korean Human Rights has collected unverified testimony on 1,193 historic executions in North Korea through 2009. [3] Amnesty International reported that there were 105 executions between 2007 and 2012. [4] The Foreign Policy periodical estimated there were 60 executions in 2010. [5] In October 2001, the North Korean government told the UN Human Rights Committee that "only 13" executions had occurred since 1998 and that no public execution had occurred since 1992. [6]

On December 13, 2013, North Korean state media announced the execution of Jang Sung-taek, the uncle by marriage of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. [7] The South Korean National Intelligence Service believes that two of Kim Jong Un's closest aides, Lee Yong-ha and Jang Soo-keel, were executed in mid-November. [8]

In 2014, the United Nations Human Rights Council created a Commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, investigating and documenting alleged instances of executions carried out with or without trial, publicly or secretly, in response to political and other crimes that are often not among the most serious. The Commission determined that these systematic acts, if true, rise to the level of crimes against humanity. [1]

List of reported executions

Date of executionConvictCrimeMethodSource
February 2025Kim brothers and RiEscape attemptPublic execution by machine gun fire Radio Free Asia [9]
January 10, 2025Two unnamed nuclear power plant construction researchersFailing to meet technical targets set by the Central CommitteeUnspecified Daily NK [10]
August 31, 2024Ri (39F) and Kang (43F)Aiding an escape attemptPublic execution NDTV [11]
August 202420–30 party officialsCorruption and dereliction of duty in failure to prevent the Yalu river flooding, which killed 5,000 peopleUnspecified Newsweek [12]
December 19, 2023Unnamed 23-year old manMurder–robberyPublic execution by firing squad Radio Free Asia [13]
September 25, 2023Unnamed 40-year old manStealing medicinePublic execution by firing squad Radio Free Asia [14]
August 30, 2023Nine unnamed peopleSmuggling beefPublic execution by firing squad Radio Free Asia [15]
March 2023Unnamed pregnant womanPolitical dissentUnspecified Hindustan Times [16]
March 2023Six unnamed teenagersWatching South Korean movies and using drugsExecution by shooting Hindustan Times [16]
October 2022Two unnamed teenagersDistributing South Korean movies Public execution by firing squad Radio Free Asia [17]
October 2022Unnamed teenagerMurder of stepmotherPublic execution by firing squad Radio Free Asia [17]
April 2022Unnamed 22-year-old manDistributing South Korean mediaPublic execution by firing squadSouth Korea's Unification Ministry, [18] BBC [19]
January 2022Unnamed man and womanDistributing South Korean movies Public execution by firing squad Daily NK [20]
March 2, 2021Three unnamed men and one unnamed womanDistributing South Korean movies Public execution by firing squad Daily NK [21]
July 20, 2020Six unnamed menSex traffickingPublic execution by shooting Radio Free Asia [22]
May 2020Unnamed woman and manEscape attempt Execution by shooting Radio Free Asia [23]
April 2020Three unnamed menTheftExecution by shootingRadio Free Asia [24]
February 2020Unnamed manQuarantine violationExecution by shooting [25]
March 2019Two unnamed womenFortune-tellingPublic execution by shooting [26]
January 10, 2019Unnamed manMurder of prison guardExecution by shooting [27]
December 2018Unnamed manCorruptionPublic execution by shooting [28]
December 2018Unnamed personFortune tellingPublic execution; method unspecified [29]
November 17, 2018Unnamed womanFortune tellingExecution by shootingDaily NK [30]
2018Male military officer Embezzlement Unspecified [31]
2018Two unnamed peopleUnspecifiedPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
2018Unnamed womanUnspecifiedPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
February or March 2018Unnamed manUnspecifiedPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
January 2018Unnamed womanUnspecifiedPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
January 2018Unnamed woman in her 30sDrug-related murderPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
2017Unnamed manDistributing South Korean moviesPublic execution by shooting KINU [33]
December 2017Unnamed womanUnspecifiedPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
April 2017One man Extortion, murder, theftSecret execution; method unspecifiedDaily NK [34]
February 27, 2017Five unnamed menMaking false reportExecution by shooting [35]
February 201720 unnamed peopleWatching South Korean movies and drug tradingPublic execution by shooting KINU [32] [33]
2016Unnamed manHuman traffickingPublic execution by shooting KINU [32]
May 2015 Choe Yong-gon TreasonUnspecified[ citation needed ]
March 2015Five men in their 30s and 40sWatching South Korean movies and drug tradePublic execution by shooting KINU [33]
2015Six peopleConducting Christian worshipExecution by shooting [36]
October 2014Three unnamed menDistrbuting South Korean moviesPublic execution by shooting KINU [33]
2014Two unnamed menDistributing South Korean movies and procuring prostitutionExecution by shooting KINU [33]
2014Unnamed manDistributing South Korean movies and drug tradingPublic execution by shooting KINU [33]
2014UnspecifiedConducting Shamanism Unspecified USCIRF [37]
201449-year-old manCalling relative in South KoreaUnspecified [38]
December 12, 2013 Jang Song-thaek and 7 unnamed menTreasonExecution by shooting[ citation needed ]
September 2011A lesbian coupleCorruption of public moralsUnspecified [39]
April 2011Child and Grandmother Conducting Christian worship Execution by firing squad [37] [40]
January 3, 2011Unnamed man and unnamed womanTreasonExecution by shooting [41]
March 17, 2010 Pak Nam-gi TreasonExecution by shooting[ citation needed ]
September 200850-year-old manSelling drugsPublic execution KINU [42]
May 200826-year old manHuman traffickingPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
March 2008Three womenHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
30 January 2008Seven peopleSelling drugsPublic execution KINU [42]
January 2008Unnamed manMurdering a four-year old childPublic execution KINU [42]
2007Seven peopleStealing and selling rice and gasolinePublic execution KINU [42]
2007Man and womanSmuggling protected trees to ChinaPublic execution KINU [42]
December 2007Kim Young-manSelling drugsPublic execution KINU [42]
26 December 200759-year old man and another manSelling sex videotapes and a South Korean movie DVDPublic execution KINU [42]
25 December 2007Three men, including a 45-year-old and a womanSelling drugsPublic execution KINU [42]
22 December 2007Four unnamed menSmugglingPublic execution (2), secret execution (2) KINU [42]
November 2007Unnamed officialTaking bribesPublic execution KINU [42]
5 October 200775-year old manConverting phone lines to facilitate calls with outside worldPublic execution KINU [42]
Early September 2007Unnamed manSmuggling lumberPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
September 2007Army sergeantMurder-robberyPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
August 2007 or laterMak-kong (50M)GamblingPublic execution KINU [42]
July 200741-year old manReceiving money from South KoreaPublic execution KINU [42]
July 2007College studentMurdering his pregnant girlfriendPublic execution KINU [42]
July 2007Unnamed manSelling drugsPublic execution KINU [42]
25 July 2007Man and womanGambling, drug selling, selling sex magazines and videotapes, as well as embezzlement Public execution KINU [42]
July 10, 2007Unnamed womanStealing and murder of a 12 year-old girlExecution by shooting [43]
15 June 2007Two womenHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
May 17, 2007Two guardsSelling drugs and theftPublic execution [44]
February 200740-year old manHuman traffickingSecret execution KINU [42]
200626 year-old manHuman trafficking and collecting goldPublic execution KINU [42]
19 May 2006Ex-soldierStealing copper linesPublic execution KINU [42]
17 May 2006Two unnamed peopleSelling drugs and CDsPublic execution KINU [42]
2005Unnamed manButchering a cowPublic execution KINU [42]
November 2005Unnamed womanHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
August 2005Company president (45M)Selling copper linesPublic execution KINU [42]
15 April 200523-year old manSmuggling in a BiblePublic execution KINU [42]
April 2005College studentMurderPublic execution KINU [42]
April 2005Leader of a security platoonAiding escapePublic execution KINU [42]
March 2, 2005Han Bok NamIllegal border crossing and human traffickingPublic execution by shooting [45]
March 1, 2005Choi Jae Gon and Park Myung GilTransgression of the national border and human traffickingPublic execution by shooting [46]
February 28- March 1, 2005Three menHuman traffickingPublic execution by shooting [47]
January 200532-year old manListening to South Korean radio programs and singing South Korean songsPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Unnamed manIllegal sale of goldPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Army cadetAccidental killingPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Unnamed manMurder-robberyPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Man and womanHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Unnamed womanHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
2004Unnamed manCorn theftPublic execution KINU [42]
November 2004TeacherHuman trafficking of 13 studentsPublic execution KINU [42]
November 2004Unnamed manSelling and circulating South Korean videosPublic execution KINU [42]
September 200419 year-old manStealing a pigPublic execution KINU [42]
April 2004Unnamed manFistfighting with a Safety AgentPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
March 2004Unnamed womanHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [42]
January 2004Man and womanActing as stringers for the South KoreaPublic execution KINU [42]
200351-year old manEscape attemptPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
July 200340-year-old manSmuggling and selling copper products and jewelryPublic execution by firing squad KINU [42]
11 February 2003Unnamed manPracticing ChristianityPublic execution KINU [42]
January 2003Unnamed manKilling his grandmotherPublic execution KINU [42]
2002Entire family (might refer to Lee Min Park case listed below)Anti-state crimesUnspecified KINU [42]
March 2002Three members of the Lee Min Park familyConducting Christian worshipUnspecified [37]
200012 peopleGrain theftPublic execution KINU [48]
May 2000Kim XXHuman traffickingPublic execution KINU [48]
199923-year old womanCrossing into China and engaging in illegal religious activitiesPublic execution KINU [42]
1999Unnamed manButchering a cowPublic execution KINU [42]
Before October 199960-year old married coupleEscape attemptPublic execution KINU [42]
May 1999Unnamed womanSlave tradePublic execution KINU [49]
January 1999Two women and a manSinging decadent songsPublic execution KINU [49]
1998Seven unnamed menBanditryPublic execution KINU [48]
November 1998Lim Chol-san and nine othersButchering an animalPublic execution KINU [49]
November 1998Lee Bom-jaeTrying to sell mushrooms in ChinaPublic execution KINU [49]
April 199813 cadres from the Social Safety AgencyUnknownPublic execution by shooting KINU [49]
15 March 1998Wife and husbandAssaulting an agent of the People's Security AgencyPublic execution by shooting KINU [49]
February 1998Six peopleSlave tradePublic execution KINU [49]
1997 So Kwan-hui SabotagePublic execution by shooting[ citation needed ]
1997Kim Man-kum and another unnamed officialEspionagePublic execution by shooting KINU [49]
October 1997Four unnamed teenagersStreakingPublic execution KINU [49]
April 1997Family of fourSelling human meatPublic execution KINU [49]
Early 1997Choi Jong-gil and eight othersTheftPublic execution by shooting KINU [49]
1996Hyun Chul-namResisting arrestUnknown KINU [49]
29 November 1996Jang Hye-kyung (mother) and Shin Hee-keun (son)Escape attemptPublic execution KINU [42]
December 1995Family of fiveSelling human meatPublic execution KINU [49]
September 1994Suh CholStealing copperPublic execution KINU [49]
November 1992Chu Su Man (30)MurderPublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
Early 1990sUnnamed manMurder and rapePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
October 1991 Park Myung-sik Twelve murdersExecution by firing squad [51]
1990Suh Yong-soon (23F)Trying to hide damaged productsFiring squad KINU [49]
1989Kang Won-sook (21)DesertionFiring squad KINU [49]
August 1988Ju Song IlMurderPublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1988Unnamed manEmbezzlementPublic execution by hanging Amnesty International [50]
198845-year old manAttempted murderPublic execution by hanging Amnesty International [50]
1987Unnamed manMurder or rapePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1986Unnamed manMurder or rapePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1985Three unnamed manMurderPublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1983 or 1982One or two unnamed menRape and theftPublic execution Amnesty International [50]
1983 or 1982Two brothersStealing rice from a trainPublic execution Amnesty International [50]
1981 Woo In-hee Mistress of Kim Jong IlPublic execution by shooting [52]
Early 1980sTwo unnamed menUnknownPublic execution by hanging Amnesty International [50]
198025 and 65-year old manAssault and rapePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1975 or 1976Unnamed manBeating and crippling his wifePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1974 or 1975Two unnamed menBanditryPublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1970Two unnamed menBanditryPublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]
1970Unnamed manMurder or rapePublic execution by shooting Amnesty International [50]

Public executions

North Korea was alleged to have resumed public executions in October 2007 after they had declined in the years following 2000 amidst international criticism. Prominent supposedly executed criminals include officials convicted of drug trafficking and embezzlement. Common criminals convicted of crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, drug dealing, smuggling, piracy, vandalism, etc. have also been reported to be executed, mostly by firing squad. The country does not publicly release national crime statistics or reports on the levels of crimes. [53] As of 2012, North Korea is allegedly one of four countries carrying out executions in public, the other three being Iran, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. [2] However, according to defectors interviewed by The Diplomat in 2014, the practice of such activities had not occurred, at least in Hyesan since 2000. [54]

In October 2007, a South Pyongan province factory chief convicted of making international phone calls from 13 phones he installed in his factory basement was supposedly executed by firing squad in front of a crowd of 150,000 people in a stadium, according to an unverified report from a South Korean aid agency called Good Friends. [5] [55] Good Friends also reported that six were killed in the rush as spectators left. In another unverified instance, 15 people were allegedly publicly executed for crossing the border into China. [56]

A U.N. General Assembly committee has adopted a draft resolution, co-sponsored by more than 50 countries, expressing "very serious concern" at reports of widespread human rights violations in North Korea, including public executions. North Korea has condemned the draft, saying it is inaccurate and biased. The report was sent to the then 192-member General Assembly for a final vote. [57]

In 2011, two people were allegedly executed in front of 500 spectators for handling propaganda leaflets floated across the border from South Korea, reportedly as part of an unverified campaign by former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to tighten ideological control as he groomed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, as the eventual successor. [58]

In June 2019, a South Korean NGO the Transitional Justice Working Group released an unverified report "Mapping the Fate of the Dead" that suggested 318 sites in North Korea supposedly used by the government for public executions. [59] According to the NGO, public executions have taken place near rivers, fields, markets, schools, and sports grounds. The report alleges that family members and children of those sentenced to death were forced to watch their executions. [60]

Capital punishment in prison camps

Amnesty International has alleged that torture and executions are widespread in political prisons in North Korea. [61] Unverified testimonies describe secret and public executions in North Korean prisons by firing squad, decapitation or by hanging. [62] Executions are allegedly used as a means of deterrence, often accompanied by torture. [63]

See also

Notes

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