Tracking state killings under Kim Jong Un – NKNews Podcast Ep. 224

During Kim Jong Un’s first decade in power, the North Korean state has executed at least 23 people for crimes ranging from prostitution and “obscene acts” to watching South Korea media, according to a recent report from the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a Seoul-based human rights organization. This week, TJWG researcher Ahyeong Park joins the podcast to discuss the work that went into documenting these killings and how state executions have changed since Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011. She explains how the organization collects and verifies testimony from defectors, propaganda efforts to portray Kim as a benevolent leader through pardons and the long-term goal of achieving justice for victims. Ahyeong Park is a researcher with TJWG and the lead author of “Mapping Killings Under Kim Jong Un: North Korea’s Response to International Pressure.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot (@JaccoZed) exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.