September 13, 2025 | 02:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North Korea has been tightening its grip on its citizens for the past decade. As reported by Al Jazeera, over the past decade, North Korea has executed people for sharing foreign TV dramas, including South Korean dramas or K-dramas and K-pop, according to a United Nations report.
The UN's Office of Human Rights stated on Friday, September 12, 2025, that state-sponsored repression under the Kim Jong Un regime has caused North Korea to develop with suffering, oppression, and increasing fear over the past decade. Kim Jong Un has ruled with absolute power for seven decades.
"No other population is under such restrictions in today’s world," concluded the UN report, which was based on interviews with over 300 witnesses and escapees from the country. According to the source, freedom of speech in North Korea is eroding.
"To block the people’s eyes and ears, they strengthened the crackdowns. It was a form of control aimed at eliminating even the smallest signs of dissatisfaction or complaint," said a fugitive quoted in the report.
James Heenan, Head of the UN's Office of Human Rights for North Korea, stated in Geneva that the number of people executed for ordinary and political crimes has increased since the COVID-era restrictions. An unspecified number of people have been executed based on new laws that impose the death penalty for distributing foreign TV series, including popular K-Dramas from South Korea.
This crackdown has been facilitated by the expansion of a "mass surveillance" system through technological advancements, which has placed citizens under control in all aspects of life over the past 10 years, the report noted.
Heenan also reported that children are forced to work through a system of forced labor, including the so-called "shock brigades" in difficult sectors such as coal mining and construction.
"They’re often children from the lower level of society, because they’re the ones who can’t bribe their way out of it, and these shock brigades are engaged in often very hazardous and dangerous work," he said.
Last year, the UN declared that forced labor could be considered a form of slavery, making it a crime against humanity. This comprehensive review comes more than a decade after a significant UN report documented executions, rape, torture, deliberate starvation, and the detention of between 80,000 and 120,000 people in prison camps.
The new report covers developments since 2014. The UN noted the implementation of new government laws, policies, and procedures that provide a legal framework for these harsh actions.
"If the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] continues on its current trajectory, the population will be subjected to more suffering, brutal repression and fear," said UN Head of Human Rights Volker Turk in a statement.
North Korea's diplomatic mission in Geneva and its embassy in London have not commented on the report.
Editor's Choice: K-Pop Giant Park Jin Young Appointed to South Korea's Minister-Level Cultural Role
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Independent Team of 6 Human Rights Bodies Probes August-September Unrest
18 jam lalu
The independent team is formed to ensure that the truth is not concealed, the victims are not forgotten, and allegations of human rights violations are not repeated.
Indonesia's Prabowo to Address Palestine, Qatar Issues During UNGA Debut
22 jam lalu
The President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, is scheduled to deliver his speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on September 23, 2025.
K-Pop Giant Park Jin Young Appointed to South Korea's Minister-Level Cultural Role
1 hari lalu
Park Jin Young has been appointed as the co-chair of the newly formed South Korea's Presidential Commission on Pop-Culture Exchange.
UN Security Council Unanimously Condemns Israel's Attack on Qatar
1 hari lalu
UN Security Council unanimously condemns Israel's attack on Qatar, including the US which has been protecting Tel Aviv
Iran, UN Nuclear Watchdog Progress on Nuclear Inspections
2 hari lalu
Iran and the IAEA agreed on a new cooperation framework which could lead to the resumption of nuclear site inspections.
North Korea Finalizes Solid-Fuel ICBM Engine Test
3 hari lalu
North Korea has been carrying out a rapid series of trials on its new intercontinental missile program, with Kim Jong Un present at the last stage.
UN Denies Claims of Moving General Assembly from New York to Geneva
4 hari lalu
The United Nations (UN) refuted claims on Monday that the high-level General Assembly week will be moved from New York to Geneva.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Pushes Global Partnership Ahead of UN General Assembly
4 hari lalu
Taiwan's Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-lung, calls on the world to cooperate with Taiwan as the 80th UN General Assembly approaches.
Angelina Jolie Speaks Out on Gaza Humanitarian Crisis
4 hari lalu
Angelina Jolie speaks out about Gaza. She strongly criticizes the international community for what she sees as neglect of the suffering of civilians.
Komnas HAM Chief Says Willing to Resign If Agency Fails to Resolve Munir's Killing by Year End
4 hari lalu
The Chair of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Anis Hidayah, stated that she is ready to resign from her position if the institution has not resolved the murder case of Munir Said Thalib by December 8, 2025.
