August M
A new report is shedding light on a hidden crackdown inside one of the world’s most secretive states.
The findings suggest the Covid-19 years marked a turning point in how power is enforced, reports the BBC.
Sharp increase
Executions in North Korea rose significantly during the pandemic, according to a report by the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), cited by the BBC.
The Seoul-based NGO documented at least 153 people executed or sentenced to death between 2020 and 2024.
That compares with 44 cases recorded in the five years leading up to the pandemic.
Crackdown begins
The report says the increase began in 2020, when North Korea sealed its borders at the height of Covid-19.
Before that, execution numbers had fallen following international pressure after a major UN investigation into human rights abuses.
During the pandemic, however, the trend reversed sharply, with at least 54 executions in 2020 and 45 in 2021.
Cultural offences
Many cases were linked to strict controls on culture and belief.
According to the TJWG, offences involving religion, superstition or foreign media made up the largest category.
South Korean entertainment, including K-dramas and K-pop, is banned in the country and viewed by authorities as a threat.
Public punishment
The report also highlights the continued use of public executions.
More than 70% of recorded cases were carried out in public, often by shooting, based on testimony from defectors.
Researchers identified dozens of execution sites across the country.
Wider pattern
Other crimes leading to executions included criticism of the leadership, drug trafficking and helping people escape.
The NGO warned that the use of the death penalty may rise further as the leadership seeks to reinforce control.
“As the regime pursues a 4th hereditary succession of power, there is a high risk of increased executions to strengthen cultural and ideological control and maintain political dominance,” TJWG said.
Long-term trend
In total, the group estimates that 358 people were executed between 2011 and 2024 under Kim Jong Un’s rule.
The findings are based on interviews with more than 250 defectors from across the country.
The report provides a rare glimpse into practices that remain largely hidden from the outside world.
Sources: BBC, Transitional Justice Working Group
