Treatment of Prisoners
North Korea is notorious for its horrendous treatment of prisoners. Reports say that 200,000 people are currently in North Korean prison camps, while 400,000 people have already died in them. Former prisoners say that between 20 to 25 percent of prisoners die every year.
Starvation is a major issue in such camps. Prisoners are usually fed small amounts of cornmeal and cabbage, but some report having no meals. The prisoners often resort to catching and eating rats, frogs, and insects to stay alive.
Despite starving, prisoners are forced to labor intensively. Due to this, prisoners develop hunched backs, with reports of a 90 degree curve by age 45. Additionally, they often fall victim to frostbite and have bloated bellies despite being otherwise skeletal. Others are killed while working.
Even if prisoners survive the starvation and labor, they are often tortured by the guards. They are beaten and sometimes even executed for fun. Relatives are forced to hurt one another, and the prisoners dig their own graves.