North Korea increases the number of crimes punishable by the death penalty

North Korea has increased the number of crimes that can be punished by the death penalty, according to a recent report published by the South Korean Institute for National Unification (also known as KINU). The report reveals that between 2022 and 2023, the Pyongyang regime has amended its penal code four times and increased the number of charges that could lead to a death sentence from 11 to 16.

This drastic increase is seen by the international community as a clear strategy of the North Korean regime to strengthen its internal control. Through these harsh measures, an attempt is made to maintain the security and permanence of leader Kim Jong-un and his close circle in power.

The latest amendment, made in December last year, added five new crimes to the list of those that carry the death penalty. This meant a strong tightening of criminal laws in the country.

According to KINU, reforms to the penal code have been carried out to consolidate the security of the regime. The five newly included crimes are linked to acts that could threaten the stability of the State, such as “anti-state agitation and propaganda”, “illegal production of weapons and ammunition”, “illegal use and transfer of explosives”, and the “manufacture and storage illegal explosives.

These additions reflect Pyongyang’s growing concern about possible internal uprisings or insurrections, as well as the handling of ammunition and explosives in a context where the country continues to advance its five-year arms development project.

The tougher penalties, according to the report, also seek to better protect Kim Jong-un and his family, who occupy a central place in North Korea’s power structure. The report suggests that the regime is focusing its efforts on avoiding any threat that jeopardizes the leader’s security and the absolute control he has over the nation.

Another important aspect that has increased the concern of the international community and especially South Korea is the elimination of references to unification in the North Korean penal code.

This change came before a key party meeting in December 2023, when Kim Jong-un described inter-Korean relations as those between “two states hostile to each other.”

According to the South Korean Institute for National Unification, this removal marks a shift in North Korea’s official narrative regarding its relationship with South Korea, moving away from the idea of ​​reconciliation and unification, and embracing a more belligerent stance.

At that meeting, Kim emphasized that “it makes no sense to seek reconciliation and unification” with the South, which led to the elimination of clauses related to this issue from the penal code. This change is a clear demonstration that the regime is adopting a more aggressive and confrontational stance towards its southern neighbor.

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In addition to the new charges that carry the death penalty, the report also mentions that there has been a general tightening of penalties for other crimes considered minor in other countries.

A new charge has been created that punishes damaging a flag or any national symbol with up to five years of hard labor and reeducation. In this way you can see how the regime tries to maintain its power by demanding absolute loyalty and respect for the symbols of the State.

On the other hand, those who invent or spread rumors that could cause social chaos now face a penalty of up to ten years of reeducation, a significant increase compared to the three years that the law previously contemplated.

This toughening of penalties seems to be aimed at controlling any dissidence or criticism of the regime in a context where the influence of external information and culture is increasingly present, despite the government’s efforts to isolate the population.

The KINU report concludes that these reforms are indicative of a regime that feels vulnerable to potential internal challenges. While executions have been a constant tool of control in North Korea, the increase in crimes subject to the death penalty shows that the regime is strengthening its repressive apparatus in response to growing social and political tensions.