Public Executions Rise Amidst Economic Instability and Natural Disasters

North Korea Executes Officials for Flood Failures

North Korea reportedly executed 30 officials in August 2023 for their alleged failure to mitigate the devastation caused by floods and landslides that killed over 4,000 people. The officials were charged with corruption and dereliction of duty.

The catastrophic flooding hit the Chagang province in July and displaced over 15,000 people. North Korean news reports stated that the flooding caused widespread destruction in the northwestern city of Sinuiju and neighboring Uiju, affecting over 4,100 homes, 7,410 acres of farmland, and many roads, buildings, and railway lines.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered authorities to "strictly punish" the officials responsible. An unnamed official in the Kim regime told TV Chosun that 20 to 30 cadres in the flood-stricken area were executed in late August. The report could not be independently verified.

Following the floods, Mr. Kim declared that North Korea would not accept any international aid. Instead, he asked officials to relocate thousands of displaced residents to the capital city of Pyongyang, where they would receive better care and support.

History of Public Executions in North Korea

North Korea has a history of public executions, with an average of 10 taking place annually before the Covid pandemic. The number has since increased to an estimated 100 or more. Experts attribute the increase to North Korea's unstable economy, international sanctions, and the impact of natural disasters.

Public executions are often carried out in public, with residents forced to attend. This practice is designed to intimidate and control the population.

The 2023 North Korean Human Rights Report, compiled from testimonies of 508 defectors, claims a pattern of severe human rights abuses and brutal living conditions endured by citizens. The report notes that executions are often carried out in public, with residents forced to attend. This practice is designed to intimidate and control the population.

"The North Korean regime uses public executions as a tool to maintain control and instill fear in its citizens," said Julie Turner, US special envoy for North Korean human rights. "The international community must work together to expose these violations and bring about change."

"In the global community, it is imperative that we unite our efforts to expose the regime's grievous transgressions and institute tangible changes to enhance the lives of the North Korean people," she said in October 2023, underlining that the human rights situation in the country remains "amongst the worst in the world”.