The Truth of North Korea - Propaganda, Torture, Mind Control & International Law in Numbers10/17/2022 Photo by Micha Brändli on Unsplash By : Anonymous
Even though there has been much controversy over the country, North Korea is still full of suffering people. North Korea is going through a severe human rights crisis. However, when talking about that situation, people usually generalize or state opinions without any facts. This is why there are not enough eyes witnessing the issues in North Korea because actual events and essential statistics haven't backed claims of human rights violations. This is a post where the HanVoice community of McGill highlights the reality in North Korea by describing actual events and fully supporting them with factual evidence. Police Brutality The North Korean government commits many brutal acts. One such act is the release of innocents into prison, with an average sentence being five years. Many did nothing wrong and were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. This was also a problem in communist Russia under Stalin. It's typical to see many street beatings in communist countries by government officials and police officers. Usually, when the police attack someone, witnesses aren't getting involved because there is too much fear of their offending the authority figure. In 2014 alone, an estimated 606 public executions were carried out in North Korea by firing squad. According to Amnesty International's report on North Korean human rights abuses in 2013: "The state has no plans to stop these abuses." Censorship North Korean censorship is the strict regulation of information and the suppression of speech within North Korea. The censorship, part of a more comprehensive piece of legislation called the Ten Principles for maintaining party discipline, is imposed on all media and publications imported into North Korea. The government has even gone as far as to ban all forms of media from entering the country, including print newspapers and books. North Koreans are not allowed to access the Internet or use a mobile phone; if they do, their actions could lead to severe consequences. There are cases where those caught using these devices have been executed. The censorship regulations prohibit any material critical of the North Korean government (especially its leaders) or that which might undermine its authority under the doctrine of the "Songun" (or "military-first") policy. In addition to restricting access to information, the North Korean government restricts access to foreign media outlets such as Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. In 2018, Freedom House reported that North Korea was "one of the world's most repressive media environments." The organization found that over
Torture Torture is another widespread human rights violation in North Korea, as is forced labor. According to Amnesty International, "Torture and other ill-treatment in detention [are] widespread" and "[f]orced labor [is] used as a means of political control." The UN estimates that between 80,000-120,000 political prisoners are currently being held in North Korean labor camps where they face "unspeakable atrocities." Prisoners are forced to work at least 16 hours daily and are given only small food rations. Torture is common if anyone tries to escape or commits suicide. Political Corruption But, the government of North Korea has a long history of censorship and torture, as well as political manipulation in corruption methods. Transparency International's 2017 Corruption Perception Index ranks North Korea at 167th out of 180 countries in terms of corruption. The country also has one of the worst human rights records in the world, with a 2014 report from Amnesty International claiming that up to 200,000 people are estimated to be held in political prison camps. According to Amnesty International, "the government continues to carry out extensive campaigns of mass forced starvation and public executions. It has also forced hundreds of thousands of North Koreans into prison camps where they are subject to torture, beatings, and sexual violence. And it uses food as an instrument of control by restricting access to food aid as a reward for political loyalty or partaking in political indoctrination sessions." Concluding Remarks North Korea's human rights record remains a primary concern of the international community. Some would defend North Korea's abominable human rights record by saying the country maintains such tight control over its citizens because it fears they will overthrow its government. However, there is no escaping the fact that if North Korea truly fears its people, strict censorship and harsh punishments will not stop them. The only way to achieve peace in North Korea is through changes to the political system that allows its people to voice their concerns and vote for the leaders of their choice. Nonetheless, if the situation doesn't change, international organisations must act and help the oppressed people of North Korean origin. Sources: United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea "Country chapter: North Korea", World report 2013, Human Rights Watch North Korea: Political Prison Camps – Amnesty International document on conditions in North Korean prison camps (May 2011) North Korea's Largest Concentration Camps on Google Earth – Satellite imagery and witness accounts of North Korean political prison and reeducation camps (2006–2008) Concentrations of inhumanity – Freedom House analysis of the phenomena of repression associated with North Korea's political labor camps (May 2007) North Korea: A case to answer – a call to act – Report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide to emphasize the urgent need to end mass killings, arbitrary imprisonment, torture and related international crimes (2007).
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