North Korea has reportedly intensified punishments for divorce and abortion, according to testimonies from recent defectors.
The Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) published its 2024 White Paper on North Korean Human Rights on January 24, based on in-depth interviews with 32 North Korean defectors who arrived in South Korea between 2019 and 2024, as well as recently obtained North Korean legal documents.
The white paper highlights amendments to North Korea’s Administrative Penalty Law, stipulating that individuals who divorce for “unjust motives and purposes” are subject to reeducation through labor. Such “unjust motives” include reasons like personality conflicts, disputes over supporting in-laws, or financial disagreements, which are categorized as “selfish motives.”
A male defector in his 20s who fled in 2023 stated, “It’s no longer easy to get a divorce. Since around 2020, divorcing can result in six months of labor training.” Similarly, a female defector in her 50s reported, “From 2023, divorce can lead to one year of reeducation, so many couples who don’t want to live together end up staying together while constantly arguing.” She also mentioned that in August 2023, local neighborhood units announced stricter penalties for divorce, urging anyone planning to divorce to do so by October.
The report warns that these measures hinder women facing domestic violence or unfair treatment from escaping abusive situations, further exacerbating human rights violations.
Defectors also reported that abortion restrictions and penalties have intensified since 2022, which they believe is linked to concerns about declining birth rates in North Korea.
The white paper further reveals the enactment of a special law in 2023 targeting the distribution of materials from South Korea, including propaganda leaflets, USB drives, and medical supplies, with punishments of up to the death penalty.
The Law on the Handling of Enemy Goods, enacted in February 2023, defines “enemy goods” as “any items introduced with the intent to undermine and destroy our socialist system.” This includes goods marked with South Korean logos, currency, or text, as well as any items introduced via land, sea, or air from hostile nations.
Under the law, failure to report or the possession, distribution, or use of such items can result in severe punishment.
Lee Mu-chul, a research fellow at KINU, explained, “The previous laws imposed labor reeducation for such offenses, but with the enactment of a separate law, the penalties have been escalated to include capital punishment.”
BY YESEUL HYEON, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
