Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Life as a North Korean citizen seems to never be separated from the shadow of punishment to death.
Recently, the Kim Jong Un regime again sentenced its citizens to death for committing serious violations, one of which was because they were caught praying.
According to a report released by the South Korean Ministry of Unification, there have been more than 500 North Koreans who have fled to South Korea over the past five years.
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“North Korean citizens’ right to life appears to be severely threatened. Executions are widely used for acts ranging from drug crimes, distribution of videos related to South Korea, to religious activities,” the report said.
(Gambas:Video CNN)
Not surprisingly, the issue of human rights violations in North Korea has long been a global concern.
The following are the four ‘great sins’ for which North Koreans were executed by Kim Jong Un’s government.
1. Teen Executed for Spreading South Korean Films
Last October 2022, three North Korean teenagers aged around 16-17 years were publicly executed. Two of the teenagers were sentenced to death because they were caught distributing South Korean films.
Two of the executed teenagers were caught selling thumb drives, which contained content from South Korean films and dramas smuggled from local markets. They were executed by shooting, at an airfield in the city of Hyesan, in the north of North Korea.
In addition to the death penalty, North Korea also imposes heavy fines and threats of imprisonment for anyone caught enjoying entertainment from South Korea.
There is even a law in North Korea that prohibits its citizens from speaking in a South Korean manner.
2. Drug Cases
The South Korean Unification Ministry report also said North Korea executed citizens for drug cases.
The use of illegal drugs is indeed quite high in the Land of the Ascetics. According to a New York Times report, many North Koreans are addicted to methamphetamine.
Andrei Lankov, North Korea expert at Kookmin University in Seoul, said many North Koreans inject or snort drugs as casually as smoking.
“Methamphetamine use has, until recently, been a very powerful energy drug in North Korea,” Lankov said.
3. Executed for Caught Worship
North Korea also executes its citizens for religious activities. However, it is not known how many residents were executed, nor the reason for the sentence being imposed.
North Korea has declared itself an atheist state. Even so, through the country’s constitution North Korea guarantees freedom of religion for its citizens.
But on condition that the religious practice does not bring foreign influences, harm the state, or damage the existing social order.
4. Show Pictures of Kim Jong Un’s Grandpa
Pregnant women in North Korea are reportedly executed just because they show a photo of Kim Jong Un’s late grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who was the founder of the communist state.
The news was disclosed by the Ministry of Unification of South Korea in its 400-page annual report on human rights in its neighboring country.
One of the reports stated that the woman was sentenced to death after a video circulated showing her pointing to a photo of Kim Il Sung dancing in his house.
“Execution is carried out even for acts that do not require the death penalty to be applied. Some crimes that are punishable by North Korea are related to drugs, distribution of content and videos from South Korea, to religious activities,” the report said.
The report released on Thursday (30/3) revealed a number of torture and executions that were often carried out by the Kim Jong Un regime, including on children and pregnant women.
(dna)
(Gambas:Video CNN)