Fears of Punishment for Four Families

Following the release of a propaganda video featuring the families of four people who have decided to defect to South Korea in which they are urged to return and the South Korean authorities harshly criticized, it is unclear how the North Korean authorities intend to act going forward.

Although there is a chance that the families’ relative fame may offer them protection, they could also face harsh punishment under the guilt-by-association system.

Prior to the release of the video, North Korea called for the four to be brought to meet their family members; however, the South Korean administration responded that it would not accept the North’s demand, pointing out the humanitarian custom that respects the free will of the individual to defect.

It seems clear that this tug-of-war will persist for a while. However, the North Korean authorities may not think it wise to drag it out indefinitely given that it is a humanitarian issue which is likely to attract the world’s attention.

Nevertheless, the North Korean authorities may punish them and their relatives in retaliation. Their punishment could be used as a good source of propaganda, and is an excellent way to instill fear, according to defectors.

One such defector who used to be a high official in the North told The Daily NK today, “North Korea trying to force the four people to meet their families was the same as saying that their families would not be safe if they did not change their minds. In this despicable way, the North is trying to change their minds.”

Another defector explained, “It is 100% probable that the four people’s families will be dragged off to political prison camps. The four are going to be labeled as betrayers who threw away their nation, and this label will consequently influence their families.”

“They cannot join the Party and are seriously discriminated against when entering school, getting jobs etc,” another defector explained.

On the other hand, if they are relatively fortunate, the authorities, having revealed the families to the world and enhanced their profile, may see more propaganda benefit in not imprisoning them.

Seo Jae Pyong, secretary general of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, explained why, saying, “Although it is obviously conventional for the authorities to deal with the families of betrayers harshly, it could change if the international community including South Korea pays attention to this and voices are raised to protect their security and human rights.”

He explained, “There have been cases of the North Korean authorities not touching the security of some families of defectors who became famous in the international and South Korean human rights field.”

“In the mid-2000s, when the UN Human Rights Commission and other international organizations had a great interest in North Korea’s public executions, the number of public execution cases went down,” Seo also pointed out. “Kim Jong Il tends to try and avoid direct international criticism where possible.”