North Korea has recently been working to reorganize the Yodok concentration camp for political prisoners (also known as Camp 15) and rebuild and repair its facilities with the goal of housing more inmates there, Daily NK has learned.
“North Korea recently eliminated a zone at Camp 15 and repaired and rebuilt structures there. The work began in the fall of last year and was completed in October of this year,” a high-ranking source inside North Korea told Daily NK last Friday.
“The eliminated zone was the place housing the descendants of the original inmates of the camp. But while that zone was eliminated, the residents there haven’t been sent to another [camp]. Those are people who will never be let outside,” the source added.
Following the camp’s reorganization, the prisoners in the eliminated zone appear to have been relocated to another part of the camp.
Satellite imagery (see below) shows that some of the structures have been rebuilt. But for the most part, the structures look the same as in the past. The site appears to be still functioning as a political prison camp.
[twenty20 img1=”53537″ img2=”53538″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Yodeok Political Prison camp (2017)” after=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2022)”]
[twenty20 img1=”53540″ img2=”53539″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2017)” after=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2022)”]
[twenty20 img1=”53542″ img2=”53541″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2017)” after=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2022)”]
[twenty20 img1=”53544″ img2=”53543″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2017)” after=”Yodeok Political Prison camp(2022)”]
Source: Google Earth
According to a source inside the country, a considerable number of prisoners remain at the Yodok prison camp: 55,000 in March 2020, 56,800 in July 2021 and 42,900 in June 2022.
“The camp has been reorganized, and its administrative system has been changed,” the source added.
In short, North Korea has completed not only exterior renovations on the camp but also an internal reorganization as part of a complete overhaul of its system of management.
As for why these changes have been made, the source said, “The goal is to bring new inmates into the camp.”
That means the North Korean authorities have set up new sections or moved personnel to increase the camp population, presumably with the goal of administering the camp more rigorously.
“[The reorganization of the camp] was part of a plan to adjust the camp sections and the discipline goals in line with internal policy. The measures weren’t taken to avoid notice from the outside,” the source added.
The source seemed to be saying that North Korea was not responding to pressure from the international community about its human rights record. The UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions condemning North Korea’s human rights violations for 18 years in a row.
The source responded to reports suggesting that the Yodok prison camp has been closed by saying that nothing of the sort has happened.
In 2014, North Korea took steps that indicated it would shut down the Yodok prison camp. But even at the time, experts were divided about whether the camp was being closed or simply downsized.
But today, the predominant view is that North Korea is not closing the camp, but rather reorganizing its zones and facilities.
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