The Hidden Gulag - US Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

The Hidden Gulag Second EditionEnding forced labor should also include reformingprohibitive work hours and unsafe workingconditions, taking measures to prevent thelarge number of industrial and work relateddeaths and accidents, and requesting that theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) visitthe “managed places” 171 to ensure that workingconditions are brought into line with internationalstandards.8. End the extra-judicial nature of the kwan-liso“managed places” by extending the jurisdictionof the DPRK constitution, Criminal Code,Criminal Procedures Code, and court systemto the labor camps and the residents withinthe kwan-li-so “managed places.” This measurewould extend the “protection of law” providedto North Korean citizens as a whole to the residentsof the encampments.9. Observe and enforce within the areas of theencampments the standards against torture andassault provided for in the updated DPRK legalcodes and specified in the international conventionsthat the DPRK has ratified. This includespreventing prisoners (rather than encouragingthem) from assaulting other prisoners forpurported failure to maintain daily per capitaproduction quotas.10. To end the present incommunicado nature ofresidence within the kwan-li-so “managed places,”the residents therein should be allowed the samecorrespondence rights and privileges by mailand telephone that most persons deprived oftheir physical liberty are entitled in most detentionfacilities in most countries around the world.Residents of the kwan-li-so should be entitled toreceive packages by mail (with food, medicinesand clothing) from friends, families, and co-workersoutside the encampments. They also should beallowed visits by their families and friends.11. Allow residents within the kwan-li-so encampmentsaccess to the radio, television, newspapers,magazines, books and motion pictures to whichcitizens of North Korea are allowed access 172 andto which many persons deprived of their physicalliberty are entitled in detention facilities inother countries around the world.12. Until such time when all children are releasedfrom the kwan-li-so, provide them with educationthrough the middle and high school levels. Usethe same learning curricula for primary schoolswithin the kwan-li-so that are used outside theencampments. 173 Make the schools within theencampments places of learning rather thanorganizational focal points for child labor projects.171 Prior to the economic collapse in the 1990s, North Koreamade very little use of money as a medium of exchange or storeof value. Citizens were assigned to houses and jobs and providedwith food and clothing via the state-run Public Distribution System(PDS), the quantity and quality determined in part by occupationand in part by songbun socio-political status rankings. During thefamine, when the PDS lacked food to distribute to the populace,various barter arrangements emerged followed by markets withoutgovernment planning or approval. The regime has repeatedly takenmeasures to restrict or close the markets, and confiscate currencyin the hands of the populace. However, these measures have notsucceeded, and the use of money and markets has continued.172 As the country with the single most restrictive approach tofreedoms of expression and opinion, the DPRK does not allowthe general North Korean population access to any newspapers,magazines, books, radio or TV programs that are not producedor authorized by the Party, the government bureaucracy, or thearmy. The recommendation above is that the residents of thecamps should be allowed the same limited access to newspapers,magazines, radio and TV programs as the rest of the North Koreanpopulation.173 For example, former child prisoners who attended primaryschools within the camps report they were only taught simplemathematical addition and subtraction, but not multiplication ordivision. See p. 48.170