North Korea executes escapees in brutal public display
In North Korea, a public execution of three men who attempted to escape to South Korea occurred. Each man was shot multiple times in the head, chest, and legs. Their bodies were burned in front of horrified onlookers.
A firing squad executed three residents of North Korea after a failed escape attempt to South Korea. Their bodies were burned publicly to intimidate the local community.
The men, including two brothers and an acquaintance, set off from the South Hwanghae province toward the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The weather foiled their plan. They believed they had reached South Korea in dense fog and called for help, thinking a South Korean fishing boat was approaching. However, it was a North Korean patrol boat. The escapees were subsequently arrested.
The execution took place on 19 February, 42 days after the escape attempt. Each man was shot multiple times in the head, chest, and legs. Witnesses claim they were tortured before their deaths.
It was an attempt to instil fear of the consequences of trying to escape - quotes one of the witnesses.
The execution signifies a toughening of penalties for escapees. Previously, they were sent to re-education camps for up to 15 years. Radio Free Asia reminds us of numerous executions in Kim Jong Un’s regime for distributing South Korean films, engaging in religious practices, or illegal trading.
Chronic food shortages and harsh political repression drive North Korean residents to escape. In the first half of last year, 105 people fled south, and in 2023, there were 196 successful attempts.
