Yodŏk” Black Text

H ANALYSISR NORTHSEPTEMBER KOREA’S 18, CAMP 2015 15 N K

North Korea Imagery Analysis of Camp 15 “Yodŏk” Black Text

THE COMMITTEE FOR ClosureH R HUMAN RIGHTS of IN NtheORTH KOREA “Revolutionizing Zone” N K 북한인권위원회 Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Andy Dinville, and Mike Eley White Text

THE COMMITTEE FOR H R HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREA N K 북한인권위원회

COPYRIGHT ©ALLSOURCE ANALYSIS, INC. 2015 COPYRIGHT (C) 20142009 BY DIGITALGLOBE, DIGITALGLOBE INC., INC., SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 22, 14, 2009 2014 1 H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K North Korea: Camp 15 “Yodŏk”–Closure of the “Revolutionizing Zone”

Overview of North Korea’s Political Prison vast system of arbitrary and extra-judicial, prison camps where they are relentlessly Camp System unlawful detention. In its findings released subjected to malnutrition, forced labor, and other cruel and unusual punishment. Despite the Democratic People’s Republic in February 2014, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Thousands upon thousands more are of Korea’s (DPRK, more commonly known in the DPRK (UN COI) determined that forcibly held in other detention facilities. as North Korea) adamant denial that “crimes against humanity have been North Korea denies access to the camps to political prison camps exist—most recently committed in North Korea, pursuant to outsiders, whether human rights again in a letter dated February 5, 2015, policies established at the highest level of investigators, scholars, or international addressed by the North Korean permanent the State.” Many of these crimes against media, and severely restricts the circulation representative to the UN Office in Geneva humanity take place against persons of information across its borders. to the UN Human Rights Council1 and at detained in political and other prison the nineteenth session of the Working Based on research conducted by the camps—persons who the Commission Group on the Universal Periodic Review Committee for Human Rights in North determined are among the “primary (UPR) in Geneva2—research based on Korea (HRNK), three trends have defined targets of a systematic and widespread interviews and satellite imagery reveals the human rights situation under the Kim attack” by the North Korean regime— a shocking and detailed operation of a Jong-un regime: 1) an intensive crackdown including: murder, enslavement, torture, on attempted defections; 2) an aggressive imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and purge of senior officials, aimed to 1 “Letter dated 5 February 2015,” A/HRC/28/G/5, 18 other sexual violence, persecution on February 2015, available at http://daccess-ods.un.org/ consolidate the leader’s grip on power; and political grounds, and the enforced TMP/6450257.30133057.html. 3) a “restructuring” of the political prison disappearance of persons. Location: 2 DPRK, “National Report submitted in accordance camp system, with some facilities closer to Yodŏkgun, Hamgyŏng-namdo with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Through this vast system of unlawful the border with China being shut down, Council resolution 16/21,” A/HRC/WG.6/19/PRK/1, 30 imprisonment, the North Korean regime while inland facilities have been expanded. Coordinates: January 2014, available at http://daccess-ods.un.org/ isolates, banishes, punishes, and executes Camp 22 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyŏng 39.671450, 126.852357 TMP/9056040.64464569.html; for the UPR report, those suspected of being disloyal to the see UN Human Rights Council, “Report of the Working Province has ceased to function as a Date of Report: Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Democratic regime. They are deemed “wrong-thinkers,” political prison camp. In the process September 18, 2015 People’s Republic of Korea,” A/HRC/27/10, 2 July “wrong-doers,” or those who have acquired of transferring the prisoners to other 2014, available at http://www.securitycouncilreport. “wrong-knowledge” or have engaged in Date of Imagery: detention facilities, several thousand went org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3- “wrong-associations.” Up to 120,000 are August 2003–October 2014 CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/a_hrc_27_10.pdf. unaccounted for. Following reports from known to be held in the kwan-li-so political Size of Facility: 6.6 km2 (2.5 mi2)

sources inside North Korea that Camp 15 Facility 15, or Yodŏk Political Prison Camp) The following former prisoners of Camp that they were treated essentially the may have been shut down as well, HRNK commonly known as the “Revolutionizing 15 have testimony that appears in same as those detainees in the larger and AllSource Analysis (ASA) have Zone.”3 Hidden Gulag Second Edition: camp (known commonly as the “Total endeavored to closely follow devel- Control Zone”) but had a better chance About Camp 15 “Yodŏk” Mrs. Kim Young-soon, imprisoned opments at that facility for three main 1970-1978 (p. 56) of being released. These same former Yodŏk is the most well known of North reasons: 1) to confirm whether Camp 15 Mr. Kang Chol-hwan, imprisoned prisoners report the “Revolutionizing Korea’s prison camps, primarily because was indeed shut down or whether it is 1977-1987 (p. 59) Zone” was abandoned and the detainee to understand the it has sections known as “revolutionizing still operational; 2) Mr. An Hyuk, imprisoned 1987-1989 housing and related support buildings patterns surrounding the camp processing zones” (hyeok-myong-hwa- (p. 60) were razed sometime between 2006– “restructuring;” and 3) to send a clear koo-yeok ). Prisoners judged to have Mr. Kim Tae-jin, imprisoned 1988-1992 2014. To confirm or negate these reports, signal to the North Korean authorities been “re-revolutionized” or “re-educated (p. 60) ASA examined the “Revolutionizing that international NGOs are watching and through labor” from being “counter-revo- Mr. Lee Young-kuk, imprisoned Zone” using pan-sharpened multispectral any attempts to eliminate witnesses will lutionaries” to being again potential loyal 1995-1999 (p. 61) satellite imagery collected by not go unnoticed or unpunished. The participants in the “Kim Il-sung nation” are Former Prisoner #27, imprisoned DigitalGlobe and Airbus Defense and ultimate goal of the HRNK-ASA thus eligible for release. Once released 1999-2000 (p. 62) Space from August 2003 through collaboration is to protect the most from Camp 15, a number of former pris- Mr. Kim Eun-chol, imprisoned 2000- December 2014. This imagery analysis vulnerable group in North Korea, political oners concluded that they would always 2003 (p. 64) confirms the detainee facility and a small prisoners, through enhancing be under suspicion and surveillance and Mr. Jung Gwang-il, imprisoned 2000- number of support buildings were razed international awareness of their plight had no possibility of a good future if they 2003 (p. 65) between 2013–2014 and that the former and whereabouts through scientifically remained in North Korea, so they fled to Former Prisoner #28, imprisoned “Revolutionizing Zone” is no longer used measurable data and witness testimony. China with the intention of going on to 1999-2006 (p. 67). to house detainees. This imagery South Korea.4 Introduction analysis alone, however, cannot Executive Summary 3 A few former prisoners refer to the southern area determine the fate of the detainees As part of a joint undertaking with HRNK of Camp 15 (including the Revolutionizing Zone) as Former prisoners who were housed formerly housed at this facility. to use satellite imagery to shed light on “Sorimchon .” It is a slang combination of both within the “Revolutionizing Zone” report Although North Korean officials, human suffering in North Korea, ASA has Sŏrim-dong (the name of the town at the entrance been monitoring activity at political prison to the camp and the site of its headquarters) and especially within the Korean People’s Ipsŏn-ch’on, the stream (ch’on means stream) that for Human Rights in North Korea, 2012), available at Army and internal security organizations, facilities throughout North Korea. This http://hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_ runs through it. understand the importance of report details activity at a sub-component HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf. of Camp 15 (Kwan-li-so 15, Political Prison 4 See David Hawk, The Hidden Gulag Second camouflage, concealment, and Edition: The Lives and Voices of “Those Who Are Sent deception (CCD) procedures to mask to the Mountains” (Washington, D.C.: Committee their operations and intentions,

they do not appear to have attempted to determination. Only after thorough action, the North Korean regime appears separated from the rest of the facility by hide the fact that the detainee housing analysis of newly acquired and archived to be stepping up its efforts to conceal an internal wall; and support (e.g., and related support buildings were razed. satellite imagery, and only after cross- the “heart of darkness” of its oppressive medical clinic, tool shed, mess hall, etc.) checking that imagery with the testimony system, its political prison camps, from (Figure 3). ASA and HRNK are aware of North of witnesses and in-country sources, will international scrutiny made possible by Korean capabilities in CCD. Previously, Between August 2003 and April 2013, ASA and HRNK be certain of the current satellite imagery analysis. when HRNK and DigitalGlobe examined there were no significant changes to status of Political Prison Camp 15 Yodŏk. developments at Camp 22 in Hoeryong, Imagery Analysis guard facilities, detainee housing, or North Hamgyong Province, satellite Whether Camp 15 continues to be Located in the southwest corner of related support buildings (Figure 4). imagery analysis initially indicated that operational or not, North Korea’s vast Camp 15 is an irregularly-shaped secure Between April and September 2013, activity inside and around the camp was system of unlawful imprisonment has not agricultural-related area encompassing however, the clinic and housing and continuing. Through testimony of former been dismantled. Up to 120,000 political 6.6 km2 that is commonly referred to by mess hall for Worker Unit #2 were razed prisoners and guards, and based on prisoners detained in North Korea’s detainees as the “Revolutionizing Zone.” (Figure 5). The rest of the facility remained information provided by sources inside “hidden gulag” continue to be subjected It is separated from the majority of the essentially unchanged. By October 2014, North Korea, HRNK was able to establish to induced malnutrition, forced labor, camp by a guarded entrance and an the remainder of the detainee housing that it was no longer prisoners but torture, and extra-judicial killings. The internal security fence (Figure 1). Although facility and 14 of the 20 support buildings “regular” farmers and miners from razing of structures or “downsizing” of there are several outlying buildings, the were razed (Figure 6 and Figure 7). adjacent villages who had taken up the a camp does not imply that the entire primary infrastructure is located on the Although the entrance and guard political prison camp system is being tasks previously performed by prisoners. east side and can be functionally divided position and the guard barracks remain, dismantled. One of the preliminary it is unclear if they are operational. No Mindful of that precedent, ASA and into four distinct areas: entrance and findings of this ongoing research is that recent significant activity was observed HRNK are approaching developments at guard position; support area; guard bar- we are faced with a “restructuring” rather within the former “Revolutionizing Zone” Camp 15 cautiously and gradually. The racks; and detainee facility (Figure 2). than dismantlement of North Korea’s as of February 2015. razing of buildings, or even of an entire The detainee facility is surrounded by a political prison camp system. Incensed section of the camp, does not necessarily wall and is accessible via a guarded Key Terms by international reporting on its crimes mean that the camp has ceased to entrance on the south side. Internally, the against humanity and other egregious The following is a brief description of function as a detention facility. Each detainee area is sub-divided into five human rights abuses, in particular by the each type of detention facility in North report published by ASA and HRNK functional areas: administration; Worker UN COI report and subsequent UN Korea: under the current collaborative project is Unit #1 housing; Worker Unit #2 a stepping stone toward a final housing; new prisoner housing, which is Kwan-li-so – political prison camps, where scores of thousands of

political prisoners—along with up to grandparents, or children. There are Hyeok-myong-hwa-koo-yeok/Rev- Detainee – a person currently in a three generations of members of their four known operational kwan-li-so in olutionizing Zone(s) – area in a political prison camp in North Korea. families—are banished, deported, and North Korea. prison camp where prisoners may be Escapee – a person who fled from imprisoned without any judicial sent if they are thought to be capable Kyo-hwa-so – long-term, felony-level North Korea. process, and subjected to slave labor of "re-revolutionizing." Prisoners go penitentiaries and prison camps, in mining, logging, or various through re-education classes to make Raze – The term used to describe when where persons deemed to have agricultural enterprises, generally for them more loyal to the Kim family a structure is torn down or demolished; committed felony-level criminal and their entire lives. Prisoners operate regime and thus potentially suitable for typically leveled to the ground. political offenses are sent for fixed- within sprawling encampments that release from prison. term forced labor, often under very Pan-sharpened multispectral satellite are enclosed in barbed wires and strict and brutal conditions. There are Wan-jeon-tong-je-koo-yeok/Total imagery – The process whereby a electrified fences, mostly in the north 24 to 26 known kyo-hwa-so camps in Control Zone(s) – area in a political high-resolution panchromatic (e.g., and north-central mountains of North Korea. prison camp where no prisoners are grey-scale) image is merged with a North Korea. intended to be released because lower resolution multispectral (e.g., Jip-kyul-so – shorter-term, hard labor The kwan-li-so are often described as they are deemed to be incapable of color) imagery to create a single detention facilities for misdemeanor- colonies because they are sprawling “re-revolutionizing.” Prisoners here high-resolution color image. level offenses, both criminal and encampments, 20 or more miles long typically have a lifetime incarceration political. Camouflage, Concealment, Deception and 10 to 20 miles wide, containing and spend the rest of their lives doing a (CCD) – A set of measures employed multiple, enclosed, self-contained Ro-dong-dan-ryon-dae – mobile labor variety of forced labor, such as planting to limit an opponent’s ability to deter- sections or “villages” for different brigades, localized “labor training” and harvesting food and tobacco, and mine the size, scope, and intentions of categories of prisoners. Some of the facilities largely for repatriated North raising pigs. a certain activity or location. sections are for the political prisoners; Koreans, set up originally because the Former prisoner – a person who was others are for the families of the numbers of repatriated North Koreans detained in a prison camp in North presumed political offenders so that overwhelmed the jip-kyul-so Korea. purged political prisoners have no detention facilities. contact with their imprisoned parents,

Figure 1

Camp 15

“Revolutionizing Zone”

Camp 15 and the “Revolutionizing Zone”

BACK H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K

Figure 2

Detainee facility Guard barracks

Entrance and guard position

Support area

Major components within the Camp 15 “Revolutionizing Zone”

BACK H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K

Figure 3

New prisoner housing (walled in) Worker Unit #2 mess hall

Worker Unit #1 housing

Meeting hall Wall Guard barracks

Administration

Worker Unit #2 housing

Clinic Entrance

Worker Unit #1 mess hall

Maintenance and tool shed

Components of the detainee facility in 2009

BACK H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K

Figure 4

Detainee facility Guard barracks

Entrance and guard position

Support area

No significant changes where observed between August 2003 and April 2013

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Figure 5

Worker Unit #2 housing and mess hall razed

Clinic razed

Clinic and Worker Unit #2 housing and mess hall razed between April and September 2013

BACK H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K

Figure 6

Remaining buildings razed

Remaining buildings within the detainee facility razed between September 2013 and October 2014

BACK H R NORTH KOREA’S CAMP 15 N K

Figure 7

Razed buildings

Sixteen of the 20 buildings at the support facility were razed between September 2013 and October 2014

BACK H ANALYSISR ZHOUSHANNORTHSEPTEMBER PETROLEUM KOREA’S 18, CAMP 2015 STORAGE 15 FACILITY N K Black Text THE COMMITTEE FOR H R HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREA N K 북한인권위원회

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All satellite imagery in this document: Airbus and DigitalGlobe