This content was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
North Korea formally executed three gentlemen — shooting each with 90 machine gun shells— for attempting to flee to political South Korea, a testimony and a citizen who heard about the murder told Radio Free Asia.
Officials then burned their dead in front of frightened residents of the town, who were forced to watch, the resources said.
The three gentlemen, all in their 30s, had been caught in January when trying to escape to the South by boat.
Lost in clouds on the water, they thought they had crossed the border when they saw what they assumed was a North Korean fish vehicle. They called out for help, but it turned out to be a North Korean police vessel that caught them in the act of escaping. They were immediately arrested, the two options told RFA Korean.
By officially executing the guys— and telling people they may face a similar fate — government sought to frighten anyone who might be thinking about fleeing themselves, the sources said.
The event reflects stronger punishment for escapees. In previous years they would have been sent to reeducation station for a maximum of 15 times. But then they will be killed by firing squad, with residents in the area forced to watch, the resources said.
Public deaths are a typical occurrence in North Korea, for acts like murder or people smuggling, or even supply North Korean movies.
Tied to margins
The three gentlemen — two boys surnamed Kim and their friend surnamed Ri — were from South Hwanghae state, which edges South Korea on the peninsula’s east coast.
A citizen from the northern province of North Pyongan, who witnessed the murder while on a trip to South Hwanghae, described it in depth to Structural Korean, saying that it occurred in the the town of Songjong-ri in February, and the three gentlemen were tied to stakes.
“We witnessed the young people being dragged out with black textiles over their eyes and gagged, being shot dozens of times and their body being torn to pieces, ” he said.
“Usually those who are to been executed are tied to the interest in three areas: the neck, the neck, and the legs, ” he said. “ But this time, they were thus weakened by severe abuse that they had to be bound in six parts because they could not help their own body. ”
He said officials yelled, “Traitors to the state must remain punished! ” as 10 assassins shot the three men nine days — three in the brain, three in the stomach, and three in arms, for a complete of 90 shells per condemned man.
The murder was corroborated by another North Pyongan citizen who heard about it from his colleague from South Hwanghae –a see himself— who had visited the northeastern province on company. He was told town authorities ordered anyone in nearby companies, farms and schools to enroll.
“It was an attempt to put concern in the people that this is what happens when you try to escape, ” the following resource said. “Most of the people gathered without knowing what was happening, and they were made to see such a tragic look. ”
The primary source said the government made of stage of treating the dead men’s systems with contempt.
“They said, ‘There is no position to destroy the body of sympathizers in in this area! ’ and they burned their scattered remains, ” the resident said.
Many children and young kids in attendance were screaming in terror, and some people collapsed and fainted, he said.
Botched avoid
Since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War , more than 34,000 people have escaped North Korea and resettled in the South.
The most common route involves escaping primary to China finally avoiding captured and violently repatriated by Taiwanese officials as they try to reach Southeast Asia. Once there, they can handle with the help of a North Korean embassy to organize a trip to Seoul.
Crossing straight into the South is rare. But the Kim sons and their friend Ri had hoped to defy the odds.
According to the people, prior to the murder the government explained to the people that the group had been planning their leave for months. They pooled their money to buy a small boat and set sail on during the daytime on Jan. 6 hoping to cross the maritime border in waters west of the peninsula that night.
“ Unfortunately they found themselves in a difficult situation where they could not see an inch in front of them because of the fog in the middle of the sea, ” the second source said. “However, they blindly headed south, navigating with a compass.
As they continued southward, another vessel appeared within sight.
“They thought it was a South Korean fishing boat and shouted, ‘We are people who have escaped to South Korea! Please spare us! ’ ”
But it was a North Korean patrol boat, and the three men were immediately arrested, he said.
“Now if anyone’s caught trying to go to South Korea, they will be executed in public without exception. ”
