State Department ‘2022 Country-by-Country Human Rights Report’
The U.S. State Department reported on the 20th (local time) in its “2022 National Human Rights Report” that North Korea violated human rights extensively, including breaking legs or cutting Achilles tendons to prevent the escape of its own workers in China, Russia, etc., and repatriating them. said there is In addition, he introduced a case in which viewers of the Korean drama ‘Squid Game’ received heavy punishment in North Korea, pointing out that “Korean culture is defined as anti-system and strictly punished.”
In a human rights report released on the same day, the State Department defined North Korea as “an authoritarian state led by the Kim family,” and “there are credible reports of grave human rights issues such as illegal murder and torture, transnational oppression and illegal invasion of privacy by the regime.” pointed out. The State Department publishes an annual report assessing the human rights situation in countries around the world. This year, 198 countries, including North Korea, were included.
Citing media outlets specializing in North Korea, the report said, “According to a North Korean defector who had experience working in Russia, all workers knew that the ‘repatriation process’ meant breaking the legs of those attempting to escape and sending them in wheelchairs to North Korea.” . “A high-ranking North Korean source confirmed that Choo Gyeong-cheol, a North Korean worker who tried to escape North Korea, was arrested and repatriated with a damaged Achilles tendon after being arrested by the MSS (agents) dispatched to Russia.”
The report pointed out that “the majority of North Korean workers abroad are in Russia and China,” and that “in some regions, fake IDs are used to hire them.” They explained that while working up to 20 hours a day, they receive 270,000 to 900,000 won a month, less than half of Chinese workers, and 70 to 90 percent of this must be returned to the North Korean regime. In addition, North Korea pointed out that even though trade was banned due to the closure of the Corona 19 border, it demanded ‘loyal funds’ from traders ahead of the day of the sun (Kim Il-sung’s birthday) and is forcing loyal funds to North Korean medical staff dispatched to Laos.
The report also introduced tougher penalties for ‘Korean style (Korean Wave)’. The report quoted Free Asia Broadcasting (RFA) as saying, “The man who smuggled squid game into North Korea and sold it was sentenced to death by firing squad, and the high school student who bought it was sentenced to life imprisonment.” “Six other students who watched the broadcast were sentenced to five years in hard labor, School principals and homeroom teachers have been dismissed.”
The State Department reported on the “profanity controversy” of President Yoon Seok-yeol, who attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September, in the “Violence and Harassment” section of the Korea Human Rights Report. The report said, “When MBC released a video of President Yoon criticizing foreign legislatures, President Yoon said, ‘It could endanger national security by damaging relations with major foreign partners.'” Introduced.
In addition, “the South Korean government used defamation laws to limit public discussion and censor personal and media expressions,” the YouTube channel that reported the so-called “Julie suspicions” of first lady Kim Kun-hee was seized and searched for, and former Minister of Health and Welfare Si-min Rhyu Dong-hun Han said. He pointed out that he was sentenced to a fine for defamation of the Minister of Justice.
The ‘Daejang-dong Scandal’ was reflected in the ‘Corruption and Lack of Government Transparency’ item this year as well as last year. The report said, “There have been numerous reports of government corruption at various levels,” and the prosecution accused former Vice President of the Institute for Democracy Kim Yong of receiving 600 million won in campaign funds from Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myeong from former planning director Yoo Dong-gyu of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation in November of last year. mentioned what was indicted.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.