North Korea has increased its effort to isolate itself and its people from outside influence.
North Korea has long been known for its harsh treatment of defectors. The Human Rights Watch reported on Monday that the nation has increased its punishment for those who attempt to flee the country.
HRW Asia Deputy Director Phil Robertson commented on the situation. "North Korean authorities are using brutal punishments to shut the door on people fleeing the country, and cracking down on those who share information with the outside world. Kim Jong-Un is trying to silence news of his systemic and pervasive rights crimes by going after the messengers, such as people with connections in South Korea or those who can help North Koreans flee there," he said.
Currently, the Chinese government does not allow North Korean defectors into the country, those caught attempting to escape into China are sent back. Individuals who are repatriated to North Korea are severely punished in political prison camps. The North Korean regime has been known to even execute defectors.
Those caught communicating with individuals in China or South Korea through the use of cell phones or other forms of communication were sent to reeducation facilities, called kyohwaso, in the past. At these centers, individuals were "subject inmates to forced labor, chronic food and medicine shortages, harsh working conditions and mistreatment by guards." More recently however, it is reported that North Korea sends defectors to political prison camps. These political prison camps, called kwanliso, are allegedly harsher than kyohwaso.
North Korea hopes to keep its regime free from outside influence, and thus punishes any individual with outside media. "Talking on an overseas phone call, or watching a foreign television show should not be considered crimes, but the government is tightening control through repression and fear," said Robertson.
The isolated nation continues to draw attention on both humanitarian and security fronts. Recently, North Korea tested missiles and state media showed Kim Jong Un on Saturday at the testing site. The missiles appear to be of Russian design, but it is unclear how North Korea acquired such weaponry.
