North Korea has sentenced a parapalygic man in his 60s in Yanggang Province to forced labor for having communicated with the outside world.
This comes as North Korean authorities intensify crackdowns on and punishments of people who communicate with the outside world.
A source in Yanggang Province told Daily NK on Friday that the man — a resident of Hyesan identified by his family name of Kim — was dragged off to a forced labor brigade on Mar. 18. He said Kim was punished after the Ministry of State Security belatedly received a tip that he received money from his daughter in South Korea in September.
According to the source, Kim has been living alone since losing his wife two years ago. He suffered a stroke in January of last year, becoming a parapalygic. He suffers a speech impediment, and cannot walk properly.
Hearing news of his plight, Kim’s daughter in South Korea wired him around KRW 3 million (around USD 2,450) in September to pay for food and medical expenses. Kim found it hard to move around, but he still went all the way to the remittance broker’s home for a video call with his daughter, who asked to see his face.
When the Ministry of State Security found out, Kim was ultimately punished.
The Hyesan branch of the Ministry of State Security — which had been watching Kim, knowing his daughter lived in South Korea — launched a background investigation. They sensed something was up, wondering how a man that made no money was spending so liberally, sending relatives to buy food.
Moreover, the security officer in charge of Kim’s case would visit every other day to check if he had communicated with his daughter. When Kim continued to deny contact with his daughter, the ministry sent a guidance officer to launch a surprise raid on his home.
Ultimately, Kim confessed to the city branch of the ministry that a person he did not know came to his home and gave him RMB 8,000 (around USD 1,254). After 10 days of questioning, Kim was sentenced to six months in a forced labor brigade.
Word of the incident soon reached locals, who felt sorry that Kim was punished and criticized the ministry’s handling of the case.
The source said people are shocked that the ministry took all the money Kim received from his daughter and sent him to a forced labor brigade. He said the government apparently sentenced Kim to forced labor to make locals aware of the punishment that awaits those who contact the outside world.
