＜Inside N.Korea＞ Death Is Common: Horrific North Korean Prisons Beyond Description

2018.01.17

(Reference Photo) Detainees of a ‘Forced Labor Camp’ march to work. Taken by Lee Joon in Chongjin City of North Hamkyung Province, June 2005. (ASIAPRESS)

◆’Detention Centre 12’ is a ‘Prison of Death,’ beyond belief.

‘Jongori’ detention centre lies in a mountainous region of northern North Korea, not far from the Chinese border. Illegal border crossers apprehended in China comprised 60% of the centre’s inmates. The remaining prison population was comprised of people caught watching South Korean dramas, or taking drugs.

“The centre accommodated 2,000 male and 600 female detainees. Prisoners were so tightly packed that it was really hard to roll over while sleeping. The men were forced to work in mines, or to work with wood and the women made wigs or also worked with wood. The products are said to be exported to China. We also had to work in the fields. They even beat the female prisoners. One woman was beaten so badly that she was permanently injured.”

It took my breath away when I heard that many detainees had become sick and even died from malnutrition and the filthy living conditions.

“150 gram of ground corn was allocated to each inmate for their meal. I felt that I would die of hunger and overwork. No side dishes and only a salted soup.”

The guards encourage the prisoners to catch and boil snakes and rats for their meals. They do this because they worry about being charged if their prisoners die.

Satellite image of Jongori Detention Centre. The central area is the accommodation ward. (Google Earth)

◆Each day at least three died

“A prisoner collects around ten deceased every three days and wheels them by cart to a nearby mountain. The dead are burned but no notice is given to families. I believe at least three people died every day because of hunger and disease.”

If that were true, the number of people dying in annually exceeds 1,000. As such a number is difficult to comprehend, we repeated the question to Eun-sook. She raised her voice, saying “It is true!” New detainees arrive every day as if switching places with the dead and those individuals who are released. (Aforementioned reports deliver the almost same stories)

Her mother said that when Eun-sook was released she was half dead. After her interview Eun-sook asked us, “Can you take me to South Korea? I really can’t live in this country anymore.”

There is no sign of improvement on human rights under Kim Jong-un’s rule. The issue of missile development and nuclear tests continues to take center stage for the state. But we should also spare a thought for the reality faced by North Koreans such as Eun-sook. More of Eun-sook’s testimony will follow. (ISHIMARU Jiro)

* Editor’s notes on North Korean reporters
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