A Tariff Too High: Man Executed in North Korea for Calling South Korea

 A man has been executed in North Korea after it was discovered by security officials in late January that he had illegal possession of a mobile phone and had called a defector in South Korea to report rice prices. 

The man, named only as Chong, was executed by firing squad after confessing under torture that he had also mentioned living conditions to his friend who had defected to South Korea some years ago. 

Although it cannot be confirmed it is believed that Chong is the first person to be executed since the region of Pyongyang implemented a new policy to tighten its grip on illegal mobile phones.

The news comes only two years after it was reported back in late 2007 that a factory chief was publically executed in front of 150,000 charged with the crime of making international phone calls. 

Surprisingly, in what many hoped a relaxation of the regime of King Jong Il, mobile phone usage became permissible. In 2008 a partnership was brokered with Orascom which seemed to lift the prohibition of communication with the outside world however, Chinese mobile phones with pre-paid cards are banned. 

It is believed that more than 10,000 North Koreans living near the border with China illegally possess Chinese mobile phones.

The communist country insists it does not violate human rights. 

by death penalty volunteer Chloe Strowger.