North Korea is carrying out executions of citizens caught watching or distributing foreign television programs — including popular South Korean dramas — according to a damning new United Nations human rights report released on Friday, September 12.

The 14-page review, compiled from interviews with more than 300 witnesses and escapees, paints a stark picture of a society under tightening control. It details the regime’s use of sophisticated surveillance technology and increasingly severe punishments — including the death penalty — for those caught sharing outside media.

James Heenan, head of the UN Human Rights Office for North Korea, told reporters in Geneva that executions for both political and non-political crimes have risen since the country’s strict Covid-19 border closures. While he declined to share exact figures, he confirmed that citizens have already been executed under new laws specifically targeting the distribution of South Korean TV content.

“Under laws, policies, and practices introduced since 2015, citizens have been subjected to increased surveillance and control in all parts of life,” the report stated.

The findings follow a landmark 2014 UN investigation that accused Pyongyang of crimes against humanity. The new review adds fresh evidence of forced labour, including children pressed into “shock brigades” to work in hazardous industries such as coal mining and construction.

“They’re often children from the lower levels of society — those who can’t bribe their way out,” Heenan said during a briefing in Seoul. “These shock brigades are engaged in extremely dangerous work.”

Despite the grim picture, the report did note limited improvements, such as a reduction in violence by guards in detention centres and the passage of laws that appear to offer stronger fair-trial protections.

North Korea’s diplomatic missions in Geneva and London did not respond to requests for comment. Pyongyang has repeatedly rejected UN resolutions on human rights, calling them foreign interference in its domestic affairs.