Kaechon internment camp: Difference between revisions

Kaechon internment camp
Chosŏn'gŭl	개천 제14호 관리소
Hancha	价川かわ第だい十じゅう四よん號ごう管かん理り所ところ
Revised Romanization	Gaecheon Je14ho Gwalliso
McCune–Reischauer	Kaechŏn Che14ho Kwalliso
Chosŏn'gŭl	개천 정치범수용소
Hancha	价川かわ政せい治ち犯はん收おさむ容よう所ところ
Revised Romanization	Gaecheon Jeongchibeom Suyongso
McCune–Reischauer	Kaechŏn Chŏngch'ibŏm Suyongso

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Kaechon internment camp (Hangeul: 개천 제14호 관리소, also spelled Kae'chŏn or Gaecheon) is a forced labor camp in North Korea for political prisoners. The official name is Kwan-li-so (Penal-labor colony) No. 14. It is not to be confused with Kaechon concentration camp (Kyo-hwa-so No. 1), which is located 20 km (12 mi) to the northwest. The camp is commonly known as Camp 14.

Description

Pyongyang

Kaechon

class=notpageimage|

Location of Kaechon camp in North Korea

The camp was established around 1959^[1] in central North Korea near Kae'chŏn county, South Pyongan Province. It is situated along the middle reaches of Taedong river, which forms the southern boundary of the camp, and includes the mountains north of the river, including Purok-san. Bukchang, a concentration camp (Kwan-li-so No. 18) adjoins the southern banks of the Taedong River. The camp is about 155 km² (60 sq mi) in the area, with farms, mines, and factories threaded through steep mountain valleys.^[2]^[3]^[4] The camp includes overcrowded barracks that house males, females, and older children separately, and a headquarters with the administration and guards housing.^[5] Altogether around 15,000 prisoners live in Kaechon internment camp.^[6]

Purpose

The main purpose of Kaechon internment camp is to keep politically unreliable persons classed "unredeemable"^[1] isolated from society, and exploit their labor.^[7]^[8] Those sent to the camp include officials perceived to have performed poorly in their job, people who criticize the regime and anyone suspected of engaging in "anti-government" activities.^[9] Prisoners have to work in one of the coal mines, and in one of the factories that produce textiles, paper, food, rubber, shoes, ceramics and cement or in agriculture.^[6]

Human rights situation

Many prisoners in the camp, as reported by witnesses, have to do very hard and dangerous work in mines and other workplaces from 05:30 until midnight.^[10] Even 11-year-old children have to work after school and may see their parents rarely.^[11] People are forced to work like slaves and are tortured in case of minor offences.^[12]^[13]

Food rations are very small, consisting of salted cabbage and corn, so that the prisoners are very skinny and weak. Many die of malnourishment, illness, work accidents, and the aftereffects of torture. Many prisoners resort to eating frogs, insects, rats, snakes, and even resort to cannibalism in order to try to survive.^[1]^[12] Eating rat flesh helps to prevent pellagra, a common disease in the camp which results from the absence of protein and niacin in the diet. In order to eat anything outside of the prison-sanctioned meal, including these animals, prisoners must first get permission from the guards.^[1]

Imprisoned witnesses

Shin Dong-hyuk

In his official biography Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden, Shin Dong-hyuk claimed that he was born in the camp and lived there until escaping in his early twenties. In 2015, Shin recanted some of this story.^[14] Shin told Harden that he had changed some dates and locations and incorporated some "fictive elements" into his account. Harden outlined these revisions in a new foreword, but did not revise the entire book. Shin said that he did not spend his entire North Korean life at Camp 14. Though maintaining that he was born there, he stated that, when he was young, his family was transferred to the less severe Camp 18, and spent several years there. He said that he was tortured in Camp 14 in 2002, as punishment for escaping from Camp 18.^[15]^[16]

Kim Yong

Kim Yong (1995–1996 in Kaechon, then in Bukchang) was imprisoned after it was revealed that two men executed as alleged US spies were his father and brother.^[6] He witnessed approximately 25 executions in his section of the camp within less than two years.^[17]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Blaine Harden (16 March 2012). "How one man escaped from a North Korean prison camp". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Overview, p. 209" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-12-07.
^ North Korean Human Rights: Prison Camps in 2012..., ned.org; accessed October 30, 2014.
^ Harden, Blaine (July 20, 2009). "N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps: On the Diplomatic Back Burner". The Washington Post.
^ "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Headquarters" (PDF). p. 211. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: The Hidden Gulag (Section: Testimony Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon, p. 48)" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-12-07.
^ "Prison Camps of North Korea - Camp 14 Kaechon", U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, retrieved January 15, 2015
^ "Torture, starvation, infant execution in N. Korea prison camps exposed to UN panel", RT (Russia Today), August 20, 2013, retrieved January 15, 2015
^ "End horror of North Korean political prison camps". Amnesty International. May 4, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
^ Yang Jung A (2007-07-03). "My Mother is Executed. Yet I am not sad". Daily NK. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
^ Sang-Hun, Choe (July 9, 2007). "Born and raised in a North Korean gulag". The New York Times.
^ ^a ^b Anderson Cooper (February 18, 2014). "UN witness describes horrors of North Korea (Anderson Cooper's remarkable interview with Shin Dong-hyuk, who was born in "Camp 14", a North Korean gulag described in a UN Human Rights report)". 60 Minutes Overtime.
^ Shin Dong-Hyuk (December 1, 2008). ""A Glimpse of Horror", Radio Free Asia". Rfa.org. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
^ Anna Fifield (17 January 2015). "Prominent N. Korean defector Shin Dong-hyuk admits parts of story are inaccurate". Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
^ Harden, Blaine (2015). "A new Foreword to Escape from Camp 14". blaineharden.com.
^ John Power (March 18, 2015). "Author of book on North Korea's founding addresses Shin controversy". NK News.
^ "The Hidden Gulag – Exposing Crimes against Humanity in North Korea's Vast Prison System (pp. 51-52)" (PDF). The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Retrieved April 25, 2012.

External links

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
North Korea: Political Prison Camps - Amnesty International document on conditions in North Korean prison camps (May 2011).
"Committee for Human Rights in North Korea] – Overview on North Korean Prison Camps with Testimonies and Satellite Photographs" (PDF). HRNK.org.
"Life Funds for North Korean Refugees (NGO): Political prisoner Shin Dong-hyuk tells about his life in the camp". NorthKoreanRefugees.com. September 2007.
"Born and raised in a North Korean gulag". New York Times. July 7, 2007.
"Escapee Tells of Horrors in North Korean Prison Camp". Washington Post. December 11, 2008.
"Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights". Eng.NKHumanRights.or.kr. Witness accounts by North Korean refugees
"Escape from 'Total Control Zone' - North Korea's Papillon". The Daily NK. May 11, 2007.
"One Free Korea: Camps 14 and 18, North Korea: Satellite Imagery". FreeKorea.us. Detailed satellite images with comprehensive explanations

39°34′16″N 126°03′20″E / 39.571086°N 126.055466°E / 39.571086; 126.055466

[Harden-1] Blaine Harden (16 March 2012). "How one man escaped from a North Korean prison camp". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[2] "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Overview, p. 209" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-12-07.

[3] North Korean Human Rights: Prison Camps in 2012..., ned.org; accessed October 30, 2014.

[4] Harden, Blaine (July 20, 2009). "N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps: On the Diplomatic Back Burner". The Washington Post.

[5] "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Headquarters" (PDF). p. 211. Retrieved 2012-12-07.

[hrnk.org-6] "Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: The Hidden Gulag (Section: Testimony Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon, p. 48)" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-12-07.

[7] "Prison Camps of North Korea - Camp 14 Kaechon", U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, retrieved January 15, 2015

[8] "Torture, starvation, infant execution in N. Korea prison camps exposed to UN panel", RT (Russia Today), August 20, 2013, retrieved January 15, 2015

[9] "End horror of North Korean political prison camps". Amnesty International. May 4, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2014.

[10] Yang Jung A (2007-07-03). "My Mother is Executed. Yet I am not sad". Daily NK. Retrieved 2012-12-10.

[11] Sang-Hun, Choe (July 9, 2007). "Born and raised in a North Korean gulag". The New York Times.

[Anderson_Cooper-12] Anderson Cooper (February 18, 2014). "UN witness describes horrors of North Korea (Anderson Cooper's remarkable interview with Shin Dong-hyuk, who was born in "Camp 14", a North Korean gulag described in a UN Human Rights report)". 60 Minutes Overtime.

[13] Shin Dong-Hyuk (December 1, 2008). ""A Glimpse of Horror", Radio Free Asia". Rfa.org. Retrieved 2012-12-07.

[Fifield-14] Anna Fifield (17 January 2015). "Prominent N. Korean defector Shin Dong-hyuk admits parts of story are inaccurate". Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[Blaine_Harden,_Author_and_Journalist-15] Harden, Blaine (2015). "A new Foreword to Escape from Camp 14". blaineharden.com.

[16] John Power (March 18, 2015). "Author of book on North Korea's founding addresses Shin controversy". NK News.

[17] "The Hidden Gulag – Exposing Crimes against Humanity in North Korea's Vast Prison System (pp. 51-52)" (PDF). The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Retrieved April 25, 2012.

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@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 {{location map~|North Korea|label=Kaechon|position=top|lat=39.571086|long=126.055466|region=KP-02}}}}
-The camp was established around 1959<ref name="Harden">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/16/escape-north-korea-prison-camp |title=How one man escaped from a North Korean prison camp |author=Blaine Harden |date=16 March 2012 |publisher=The Guardian |accessdate=4 February 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509181622/http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/16/escape-north-korea-prison-camp |archivedate=May 9, 2012 }}</ref> in central North Korea near [[Kaechon|Kae'chŏn county]], [[P'yŏngan-namdo|South Pyongan Province]]. It is situated along the middle reaches of [[Taedong River|Taedong]] river, which forms the southern boundary of the camp, and includes the mountains north of the river, including Purok-san. [[Bukchang concentration camp|Bukchang]], a concentration camp (Kwan-li-so No. 18) adjoins the southern banks of the [[Taedong River]]. The camp is about {{convert|155|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} in area, with farms, mines and factories threaded through steep mountain valleys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Overview, p. 209|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ned.org/about/board/meet-our-president/archived-presentations-and-articles/north-korean-human-rights-prison- North Korean Human Rights: Prison Camps in 2012...], ned.org; accessed October 30, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902178.html|work=The Washington Post|first=Blaine|last=Harden|title=N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps: On the Diplomatic Back Burner|date=July 20, 2009}}</ref> The camp includes overcrowded barracks that house males, females, and older children separately, and a headquarters with administration and guards housing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Headquarters|page=211|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref> Altogether around 15,000 prisoners live in Kaechon internment camp.<ref name="hrnk.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: The Hidden Gulag (Section: Testimony Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon, p. 48)|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref>
+The camp was established around 1959<ref name="Harden">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/16/escape-north-korea-prison-camp |title=How one man escaped from a North Korean prison camp |author=Blaine Harden |date=16 March 2012 |publisher=The Guardian |accessdate=4 February 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509181622/http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/16/escape-north-korea-prison-camp |archivedate=May 9, 2012 }}</ref> in central North Korea near [[Kaechon|Kae'chŏn county]], [[P'yŏngan-namdo|South Pyongan Province]]. It is situated along the middle reaches of [[Taedong River|Taedong]] river, which forms the southern boundary of the camp, and includes the mountains north of the river, including Purok-san. [[Bukchang concentration camp|Bukchang]], a concentration camp (Kwan-li-so No. 18) adjoins the southern banks of the [[Taedong River]]. The camp is about {{convert|155|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} in the area, with farms, mines, and factories threaded through steep mountain valleys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Overview, p. 209|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ned.org/about/board/meet-our-president/archived-presentations-and-articles/north-korean-human-rights-prison- North Korean Human Rights: Prison Camps in 2012...], ned.org; accessed October 30, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902178.html|work=The Washington Post|first=Blaine|last=Harden|title=N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps: On the Diplomatic Back Burner|date=July 20, 2009}}</ref> The camp includes overcrowded barracks that house males, females, and older children separately, and a headquarters with the administration and guards housing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: Satellite Imagery of the North Korean Gulag: Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon Headquarters|page=211|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref> Altogether around 15,000 prisoners live in Kaechon internment camp.<ref name="hrnk.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf|title=Committee for Human Rights in North Korea: The Hidden Gulag (Section: Testimony Kwan-li-so No. 14 Kaechon, p. 48)|format=PDF|accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref>
 ==Purpose==

v t e Prison camps of North Korea
Political prison camps (Kwalliso)	Chongjin (25) Hoeryong (22) Hwasong (16) Kaechon (14) Onsong (12) Pukchang (18) Yodok (15)
Reeducation camps (Kyohwaso)	Chongori (12) Chungsan (11) Hamhung (15) Hoeryong () Kangdong (4) Kaechon (1) Oro (22) Ryongdam (8) Sinuiju (3) Sunghori Tanchon (77) Tongrim (2) Sariwon (6) Kanggye (7) Wonsan (88)