The modern day holocaust in North Korea

Photo+by+Choi+Bu-Seok

Photo by Choi Bu-Seok

Bri Alleyn, Reporter

People have no access to the outside world. There are only a few television channels and no internet. This is not even close to worst of the horrors inside of North Korea. Because of their limited access, it is hard for the world to know what is happening.

The Holocaust was one of the worst events in world history — however, there is a “Modern Day Holocaust” that many people are not aware of.

Photo by: Seok-Yong Lee

The people of North Korea have to speak highly of the Kim family, the leaders of North Korea, at all times. These individuals also must hang pictures of the Kims in their homes. If these pictures are taken down, it is punishable by death. 

The Kims began their reign in 1948. It began with Kim II Sung and is now ruled by his grandson Kim Jong Un.

There are a few rare people who have been able to escape and tell their stories. All of the survivors want awareness of the harsh treatment in North Korea. Some people find opportunities to escape but cannot leave their families behind. 

People were dying daily from starvation and malnourishment, trying to live off of what food they can find. Their food sometimes consists of tree bark, bugs, and grass. Because of the starvation, there were dead bodies lying in the streets, according to The New York Times.

So many people witnessed the death of their loved ones from starvation; others have tried to escape to China to get food, so they would not starve to death. If escapees were caught, they were arrested and put to death.

There are also many girls and women who have gone through human trafficking and prostitution. Prostitution is the only way some people can get food to survive, some even become slaves to men. Some women become pregnant in these instances, and their children are killed after they are born, according to The New York Post.

If North Koreans tried to escape or smuggle in food, they will most likely be put into a labor camp. People experience hours of exhausting outdoor work with no breaks in extreme heat, according to Business Insider.

There is no such thing as human rights in North Korea. People would be forced to stand still for hours with their hand above their head. If the person moved, they were beaten.

Everyone can help spread awareness by telling others and be sharing these stories on social media. There are also organization that help save North Korean defectors. Donating to these organizations would help tremendously. There are a list of these above.