North Korean prison inmates forced into grueling flood recovery work
Inmates at Seongan Correctional Facility in North Korea’s Jagang province are being forced to work 12-15 hours daily on flood damage repair without external assistance. Following heavy rains in late July, authorities ordered the facility to complete repairs by month’s end using only inmate labor. Prisoners are repairing walls, roads, and flooded farmland in extreme heat, leading to exhaustion and accidents. On Aug. 14, a male inmate lost consciousness due to electric shock while repairing a fence. Despite the harsh conditions and lack of rest, guards provide minimal safety measures. The situation highlights North Korea’s systematic human rights violations, with even guards complaining about the difficult working conditions. The facility is attempting to keep these incidents and poor conditions secret from the outside world.
Read the original article in Korean by Jeong Tae Ju.
North Korea punishes party members avoiding flood recovery duty
North Korean authorities have recently conducted a joint investigation by party organizations and security agencies to identify and punish those avoiding mobilization for the Party Members’ Alliance, which is involved in flood damage restoration. According to a source in North Hamgyong province, the investigation lasted for ten days in early August, resulting in three-month labor camp sentences for those found to be evading mobilization. The source revealed that many workers are reluctant to join the alliance due to extreme working conditions, including excessive labor hours and lack of compensation. In one instance, a man in his 40s from a light industry factory in Chongjin physically confronted his workplace manager over being selected for the alliance, leading to his punishment. Some factory officials have resorted to creating informal rules, such as sending workers based on their employment date, to meet mobilization quotas and avoid repercussions.
North Korea pushes grain targets despite flood damage
North Hamgyong province is demanding its farms meet grain production targets despite recent flood damage. In mid-August, the province’s rural economy committee ordered all city and county agricultural management committees to report current crop conditions, emphasizing that national grain production plans remain unchanged despite drought or flood damage. The directive stressed achieving tasks set at the Eighth Central Committee’s 10th Plenary Meeting in late June. Officials invoked the “Arduous March” – a reference to the 1990s famine – urging farmers to tighten their belts and contribute to filling the country’s depleted rice stores. Farm managers expressed concern that such rhetoric might incite criticism of the state among workers, with some questioning the feasibility of meeting production goals given the widespread flood damage.
North Korean youth reject state’s push for higher birth rate
North Korean authorities are promoting childbirth through various policies, including the adoption of a “Childcare Law” that guarantees the supply of dairy products and nutritional foods for children, priority housing allocation for families with multiple children, and financial support. However, young North Koreans continue to avoid having children, according to recent interviews conducted by Daily NK with individuals in their 20s and 30s from Ryanggang and North Hamgyong provinces.
A 20-year-old from Ryanggang province expressed fear at the thought of childbirth, stating, “I’m terrified when I think about having children. Life is already so difficult. I don’t even want to get married, let alone have children.” Similarly, a woman in her 30s from North Hamgyong province described having children as “a mountain much bigger than my current struggles.” She added, “Even teenagers are being severely punished for watching South Korean films, and young children are dying of malnutrition. Life is becoming increasingly difficult, and the politics of fear are intensifying.”
When asked about the government’s promotional efforts and promised benefits, both interviewees dismissed them as mere propaganda. The younger interviewee said, “It’s just propaganda. The saying ‘A house with many words has bitter soup’ fits perfectly. Dairy products? Housing? It’s ridiculous.” She further explained, “Even now, parents have to prepare everything for their children in kindergarten, from lunchboxes to toilet paper.” The older interviewee echoed this sentiment, stating, “It has no effect at all. Our generation in our 20s and 30s thinks differently from our parents’ generation. No amount of propaganda works on us.”
Regarding what’s truly needed to encourage childbirth, the interviewees emphasized the need to reduce the burden on women who support their families and to stop punishing people for watching foreign media. The younger interviewee said, “First, the burden on women who have to support their families must be lessened. How can you compare the hardship of having to earn money, participate in mobilization efforts, and bear the burden of extra expenses from children’s and husband’s schools and workplaces?” The older interviewee added, “I wish they would stop punishing and killing people for watching foreign videos. In this world where the lives of citizens who are already struggling day by day are treated as less valuable than flies, it’s impossible to find hope for the future.”
