North Korea executes citizens for sharing foreign films, TV dramas, claims UN Report

New York (US): North Korea has increasingly tightened its control over citizens in the past decade, going so far as to execute individuals for distributing foreign media, including popular South Korean television dramas, a new United Nations report reveals.

The UN Human Rights Office said on Friday that technological surveillance under the Kim dynasty has intensified state repression, creating a climate of “suffering, fear, and severe restrictions” across the country.

The 14-page report, compiled from interviews with over 300 defectors and witnesses, highlights the growth of tech-enabled monitoring since 2014 and the harsh punishments for what the regime deems “anti-socialist behavior.” The report notes that death sentences have been applied for activities such as sharing foreign films and TV shows, signaling a dramatic erosion of civil liberties in the isolated nation.

“No other population in the world faces such extreme restrictions today,” the UN report concluded, emphasizing that ordinary citizens are increasingly subjected to state surveillance, severe punishments, and the constant threat of execution.

“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,” recounted one escapee, cited in the report.