Prisons 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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Prisons in North Korea (often referred to by Western media and critics as "North Korean gulags") have conditions that are unsanitary, life-threatening and are comparable to historical concentration camps. A significant number of inmates have died each year,^[1][2][3][4] since they are subject to torture and inhumane treatment.^[5] Public and secret executions of inmates, including children, especially in cases of attempted escape, are commonplace.^[6] Infanticides (and infant killings upon birth)^[7] also often occur. The mortality rate is exceptionally high, because many prisoners die of starvation,^[8] illnesses,^[9] work accidents, or torture.^[10]

During the height of the North Korean famine, the government's response was to set up many low-level labor camps for those who were caught crossing the North Korean-Chinese border or were repatriated from China. These labor training facilities were also used in response to the black market activity that resulted in people searching for food throughout the countryside.^{[11][citation not found]}

In 2004, these “labor training” facilities were made a regular form of punishment under the new reforms of the criminal code which included a list of economic and social crimes. This list was increased in 2007 with the corresponding punishments growing.^{[11][citation not found]}

The DPRK government denies all allegations of human rights violations in prison camps, claiming that this is prohibited by criminal procedure law,^[12] but former prisoners testify that there are completely different rules in the prison camps.^[13] The DPRK government has released no information on inmates or prison camps and has not allowed access to any human rights organizations.^[14] According to a North Korean defector, North Korea considered inviting a delegation of the UN Commission on Human Rights to visit the Yodok prison camp in 1996.^[15]

Lee Soon-ok gave detailed testimony on her treatment in the North Korean prison system to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary in 2002. In her statement she said, "I testify that most of the 6,000 prisoners who were there when I arrived in 1987 had quietly perished under the harsh prison conditions by the time I was released in 1992."^[16] Many other former inmates, including Kang Chol-hwan and Shin Dong-hyuk, gave detailed and consistent testimonies on the human rights crimes in North Korean prison camps.

According to the testimony of former camp guard Ahn Myong-chol of Camp 22, the guards are trained to treat the detainees as subhumans. He gave an account of children in one camp who were fighting over corn retrieved from cow dung.^[17]

North Korean prison camps are of two types: large internment camps for political prisoners (Kwan-li-so in Korean) and reeducation prison camps (Kyo-hwa-so in Korean).^[18]