Capital punishment in North Korea

Part of a series on
Human rights in North Korea
Human rights abuses Human rights in North Korea Censorship Media Corruption Freedom of religion Disability Prisons Kwanliso (concentration camps) Prostitution Kippumjo (Pleasure Squad) Songbun (ascribed social status) Slavery (Human trafficking) Executions Racism Human experimentation Persecution of Christians
Political prisons (Kwanliso) Kaechon (No. 14) Yodok (No. 15 - closed) Hwasong (No. 16) Pukchang (No. 18) Hoeryong (No. 22 - closed) Chongjin (No. 25) Sunghori (No. 26 - closed) Onsong (No. 12 - closed)
Re-education camps (Kyohwaso) Kaechon (No. 1) Tongrim (No. 2) Sinuiju (No. 3) Kangdong (No. 4) Sariwon (No. 6) Kanggye (No. 7) Ryongdam (No. 8) Hamhung (No. 9) Chungsan (No. 11) Chongori (No. 12) Oro (No. 22 - closed) Tanchon (No. 77 - closed) Wonsan (No. 88) Hoeryong
Abductions and POWs Abductions of Japanese citizens Abductions of South Korean citizens Korean War POWs detained in North Korea
International reactions U.S. Law of 2004 Japanese Law of 2006 [ja] South Korea Law of 2016 UNGA Resolution 62/167 United Nations COI Report Balloon propaganda campaigns List of human rights reports
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Capital punishment is a legal penalty in North Korea. It is used for many offences, 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 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 to still perform public executions, the other three being Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia, but this has been disputed by some defector accounts.^[2]