North Korea Executing People For Watching Foreign Films, UN Report Finds

North Korea has stepped up its use of the death penalty, including for those caught watching or distributing foreign films and television dramas, a new United Nations report has found. According to BBC, the study by the UN Human Rights Office also highlighted an increase in forced labour and tighter restrictions on freedoms across the country.

The report, based on more than 300 interviews with people who escaped North Korea over the past decade, concluded that the state has tightened control over “all aspects of citizens’ lives”. It added, “No other population is under such restrictions in today’s world.” The UN said surveillance has become “more pervasive”, supported by advances in technology. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that if the current trajectory continues, North Koreans “will be subjected to more of the suffering, brutal repression and fear that they have endured for so long”.

Since 2015, at least six new laws have been introduced allowing for the death penalty. BBC reported that one of the crimes now punishable by death is the possession or sharing of foreign media content. Escapees told UN researchers that from 2020 onwards, public executions by firing squad had increased, particularly for those distributing foreign films or television.

One escapee, Kang Gyuri, who fled in 2023, told the BBC she had witnessed three friends executed for having South Korean content. She described attending the trial of a 23-year-old friend sentenced to death. “He was tried along with drug criminals. These crimes are treated the same now,” she said.

When Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011, many North Koreans hoped their lives would improve, with promises of economic growth and food security. However, BBC reported that the UN findings show that living conditions and human rights have worsened since Kim turned away from diplomacy with the West in 2019 to focus on weapons development. Almost all escapees said food scarcity had intensified, with three meals a day described as a “luxury”. Many recalled people dying of hunger during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the government clamped down on informal markets and strengthened border controls with China, ordering troops to shoot those attempting to flee. A young woman who escaped in 2018 told UN researchers, “The government gradually blocked people from making a living independently, and the very act of living became a daily torment.” Another escapee explained that such crackdowns were designed “to block people’s eyes and ears”.

The report also found increased use of forced labour, including the recruitment of poor families into “shock brigades” for heavy work such as construction or mining. According to the UN, deaths during this work are common, yet they are publicly portrayed as sacrifices to Kim Jong Un. In recent years, thousands of orphans and street children have also been recruited, according to the findings.

This follows a 2014 UN commission of inquiry which found evidence of crimes against humanity. The current report states that at least four political prison camps remain in operation, while torture, abuse and deaths from malnutrition continue in ordinary prisons. Although some witnesses spoke of a slight decline in guard violence, many recounted deaths from overwork and mistreatment.

The UN has called for the matter to be referred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but such a move would require approval by the UN Security Council. China and Russia have repeatedly blocked sanctions against North Korea since 2019. BBC reported that just last week, Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing, underscoring their continued support.

The UN has urged North Korea to abolish political prison camps, end executions, and introduce human rights education. “Our reporting shows a clear and strong desire for change, particularly among (North Korea’s) young people,” said Mr Türk.

(With inputs from BBC)