The State of the World's Human Rights; North Korea 2025

Government control over all aspects of life persisted, with strict constraints on freedom of expression and movement. Surveillance continued and distribution of foreign media was punished. Arbitrary detention, political prison camps and torture were ongoing, and the death penalty was applied without transparency. Escapees risked detention and ill-treatment if returned. Food insecurity, inadequate healthcare and restricted access to education were reported, while authorities continued to impose severe restrictions on international humanitarian support. People with disabilities faced systemic discrimination, violence and abuse.

Background

Under the ongoing rule of Kim Jong-un, the authorities pursued closer military and economic ties with Russia and China, as demonstrated by military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Despite increased diplomatic visibility by state officials, including participation in commemorative events abroad such as China’s Victory Day parade, people inside the country remained isolated due to continuing restrictions on freedom of movement and independent engagement with international actors and institutions. Severe humanitarian needs persisted, but access was largely denied to UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, in particular their international staff.

Freedom of expression

Restrictions on freedom of expression remained severe. The authorities used laws, surveillance and ideological campaigns to suppress any contact with the outside world. The Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act continued to underpin censorship.¹

Access to outside information was almost non-existent: radio broadcasts were jammed and people living near the North Korea-China border were heavily policed. House-to-house inspections persisted, with officials searching for mobile phones, storage devices and printed material without prior notice or warrants, aimed at finding “anti-socialist” materials.² Schools and universities continued to face close monitoring by the authorities. Students’ devices containing prohibited foreign media content, South Korean content in particular, were confiscated, and students found with foreign content were expelled or sent to juvenile detention. Teachers were ordered to deliver political lectures equating interest in foreign culture with treason. At other workplaces, managers were expected to monitor employees and report suspected violations. Digital surveillance persisted, particularly targeting young people attempting to bypass restrictions.

OHCHR, the UN human rights office, reported that the authorities had intensified surveillance of people’s communications and cultural life and imposed harsh punishments for distributing foreign media. Individuals accused of distributing South Korean or foreign films faced serious penalties. In one reported case, a man was executed for distributing foreign music and films. Military personnel caught with foreign material also faced punishment.

Arbitrary arrests and detentions

Arbitrary detention remained central to the authorities’ system of control. Escapees (from detention and the country) reported minor improvements in detention conditions and procedures for complaints, although fear of retaliation persisted and overall conditions remained harsh. People accused of political offences, including accessing foreign media or attempting to leave the country, were held without fair trial or legal safeguards. Families were denied information on the fate or whereabouts of detainees, such that those detentions amounted to enforced disappearance.

Political prison camps reportedly continued operating. Detainees were subjected to forced labour, inadequate food and harsh punishments in conditions amounting to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The UN documented the use of torture and other ill-treatment during interrogations, including beatings and sleep deprivation, to extract confessions. Escapees described coerced “confessions” and mistreatment that caused lasting physical and psychological harm. No independent monitors were permitted access to detention facilities so conditions could not be verified.

Death penalty

Reports that the death penalty continued to be imposed for acts that did not meet the “most serious crimes” threshold under international law emerged during the year. Proceedings remained opaque and defendants were reportedly denied fair-trial guarantees. Public executions remained common. People, including children, were forced to attend executions or later briefed in mandatory neighbourhood meetings.

Freedom of movement

The authorities maintained severe restrictions on internal and external movement. Travel permits were required for journeys between provinces and checkpoints were heavily monitored. Strengthened border controls further curtailed mobility and limited humanitarian access. Escapees forcibly returned from China faced detention and torture and other ill-treatment.

Economic, social and cultural rights

UNICEF reported that immunization campaigns in February and June reached more than two million children in 2025, with full coverage for those born up to 2024. Water, sanitation and hygiene programmes supported by UNICEF were expected to reach 48,000 people across three provinces, including the provision of hygiene kits for emergencies. International staff continued to be barred from entry, limiting oversight.

Health services remained under-resourced. Hospitals frequently lacked basic medicines and equipment, leaving staff to work with minimal supplies. Families were often required to provide medication and bedding for the patient.

Chronic food insecurity remained widespread. Although early-season weather conditions were favourable for planting, fertilizer shortages, limited fuel and outdated equipment constrained agricultural output, which was further affected by recurrent climate shocks. People in rural areas faced severe hardship due to the failure of state food distribution; independent monitoring was denied. According to UNICEF, between January and June, community-based programmes treated 18,444 malnourished children, including 7,728 severe cases, but need far exceeded available resources.

Access to education was hampered by shortages of heating fuel and textbooks in rural schools, restricting attendance and learning.

Rights of people with disabilities

People with disabilities continued to face systemic discrimination and barriers to education, healthcare and employment. Stigma remained widespread and policies guaranteeing reasonable accommodation were absent.

In its periodic review, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities noted that children with disabilities were excluded from mainstream schools and placed in segregated settings with inadequate resources. Access to health services, including medicines and assistive devices, was limited, particularly outside the capital, Pyongyang. Employment opportunities were also restricted, with no anti-discrimination legislation in place.

Reports indicated that people with psycho-social or intellectual disabilities were subjected to forced institutionalization without consent, where conditions were marked by neglect and lack of oversight. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities urged North Korea to enact comprehensive legislation, ensure inclusive education and healthcare, and prohibit forced institutionalization.

1. “Oral statement – Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – HRC58”, 19 March ↩︎
2. “Oral Statement – Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner report on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – HRC60”, 24 September ↩︎