UN says North Korea executing more people for watching foreign films and TV

 

A major UN report has revealed that North Korea is increasingly using the death penalty against people caught watching or sharing foreign films and television. The report, based on more than 300 interviews with escapees, shows that since 2015 at least six new laws have been passed allowing for capital punishment in such cases. Witnesses say executions are carried out publicly by firing squads to terrify citizens and discourage them from breaking the rules. One escapee described how three of her friends were killed after being caught with South Korean media, including a 23 year old who was executed after a brief trial.

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The UN findings paint a picture of a society where government control has tightened drastically over the past decade. Surveillance has expanded through technology, people are subjected to forced labour in dangerous conditions, and even orphans are recruited into hazardous projects. Hunger has worsened since Kim Jong Un shifted focus away from economic reform to weapons development. Families struggle to eat three meals a day, while informal markets have been restricted, limiting people’s ability to make a living. Escapees say fear and repression now define everyday life in North Korea.

The UN report highlights how North Korea has reinforced its authoritarian grip since 2019, when Kim Jong Un turned away from diplomacy with the West and prioritized nuclear weapons. People’s living standards have steadily declined, with food shortages becoming severe during the pandemic. Testimonies suggest many citizens died of hunger, while soldiers were ordered to shoot those attempting to cross the border into China. Former hopes that Kim’s leadership would ease economic hardship have disappeared, replaced by despair and constant surveillance.

The report also notes that political prison camps remain in operation, where detainees face torture, forced labour, and starvation. Although some witnesses said there had been slight reductions in violence by guards, deaths from mistreatment remain common. Forced labour continues to be glorified as patriotic sacrifice, with fatalities during construction or mining projects often celebrated rather than prevented.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk has urged the international community to take action and push for accountability through the International Criminal Court. However, Russia and China, both close allies of North Korea, have blocked efforts at the UN Security Council to impose tougher measures. Despite this, the UN stresses there is a strong desire for change, particularly among young North Koreans.

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