Summary
A UN report found that North Korea is executing more people for watching and sharing foreign films and TV shows. The report says the North Korean government is tightening its control over people's lives, using the death penalty more often, and making life harder for its citizens.
Key Facts
- The UN report is based on interviews with over 300 people who escaped North Korea in the last 10 years.
- North Korea is increasingly using the death penalty for crimes such as watching and distributing foreign media.
- At least six new laws since 2015 allow the death penalty for more crimes, including consuming foreign content.
- Public executions, often by firing squad, are used to scare people into following the law.
- People expected life to improve under Kim Jong Un, who took power in 2011, but say conditions worsened.
- Escapees reported severe food shortages, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing people to suffer from hunger.
- The government has cracked down on informal markets, making it difficult for people to earn a living.
- Tighter border controls with China have made it nearly impossible to escape North Korea.
