North Korea executes three escapees as they attempt to flee to South Korea

North Korean authorities have executed three people, sent three other family members to a political prison camp and exiled another family for their role in a failed defection attempt.

The latest executions form part of a long line whereby potential defectees are caught by Chinese police on their way to Neimenggu, where many plan to cross into Mongolia and from there travel to South Korea.

The victims named as Jeong Dae Sung (35), wife Lee Ok Geum (32), and a family friend, Song Gwang Cheol have become the latest affected by the “50-day Battle” security crackdown launched on 2 January by leader Kim Jong-il to wipe out potentially hostile sources of unrest and prevent defections.

 
Unfortunately Jeong Dae Sung’s plan was foiled back in August 2009 and they were repatriated to North Korea where both he and his wife were thrown in jail under the supervision of the National Security Agency (NSA) whilst the mother and daughters were sent home.

A confession was then obtained which incriminated friend Song Gwang Cheol for helping Jeong. All three were executed at an unknown location.

The NSA returned to take Jeong’s family to a political prison camp while Song’s was exiled to rural Chupung-ri, Gapsan.

North Korea is reported to have executed at least 63 persons, although official figures are difficult to obtain and confirm. They are in good company with their Chinese neighbours who carried at least 5,000, or 87.3%, of the world total of executions in 2008.

The tenuous figures highlight that the fight against the death penalty entails, beyond the stopping of executions, a battle for democracy, for the respect of the rule of law and for political rights and civil liberties. The penal code of North Korea calls for the death penalty for activities of “collusion with the imperialists” however people are allegedly condemned to death for much lower crimes, as determined by the state.

Absolute secrecy governs executions in North Korea. In recent years officials have been targeted and accused of drug-trafficking, embezzlement and other non violent crimes, and those who attempt to cross into China and South Korea in search of food and to avoid political oppression.

North Korea insists it does not violate human rights despite information released by aid agencies like Good Friends, operating in Seoul that claim public executions are increasing again after an initial decrease in 2000 and are accused of imposing the death penalty for political reasons, holding thousands in prison camps, torturing border-crossers and severely restricting freedom of expression and religion.

Written by death penalty volunteer Chloe Strowger